And From Here Everything Changes
by KDLL90
Summary: High School Human AU Story. Alex is trying to find the balance of being a good sister and a good student, Lena is looking for a new start and a way to escape her second name, while Kara is still coming to terms with the fact that not everybody is going to try to hurt her. And Maggie? She is still trying to find herself and her place in a new school. Eventual Sanvers & Karlena.
1. This Is Where It All Begins

**And From Here Everything Changes.**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Supergirl, unfortunately, nor do I own its characters or any storyline relating to the show and comics, this story is written for fanfiction only.

 **Information:** All human AU High School Fanfiction. Maggie and Alex are 17 years old and in their final year of high school, Kara is 14 (3 years younger than Alex opposed to just 1) and is a in 9th grade making her a freshman, Lena is 15 years old and in her sophomore year (10th grade). This story will deal with a range of different topics that may need warnings, all warnings will be given where needed, but I will forewarn you all that this story will deal with some large and somewhat dark topics at times such as and including; anxiety issues, abuse, bullying, and possibly more.

A/N Update 30/05/2018: Please note this story now has a beta. Thank you to _**Sinca**_ , for editing this chapter for me!

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 **Trigger Warnings:** **This chapter contains scenes of bullying and violence.**

 **Chapter one –** This is where it all begins.

This was it; she was 17 years old and in her final year of high school.

This was the year that was meant to count, the year that was meant to matter, to help her pick the college she wanted to go to and to help her write her future.

This was also the year that her Aunt had decided to move them both across country to a small town named Midvale.

In her last year of school Maggie Sawyer was having to get used to living in a new town; she was going to have to get used to a new school, new teachers, new prospects – a new everything.

The worst thing about it all? She didn't know anybody here (other than her Aunt of course).

As of right now she was a 'Billy no mates' as they say. Her old friends were just that, old friends that were gone now, not through her choice but through their own. After her parents had disowned her and left her in her Aunt's care, one person after the other, people that used to be her friends, had started to see her differently and disowned her as well.

Why, you ask? All because she liked girls. She was a girl who liked girls.

In a day and age like this it shouldn't matter who you liked, people were meant to be _less_ narrow minded now. Or at least that's what the media would always say, but for Maggie her experience had been different. She didn't know whether that was due to the fact she seemed to live in a tiny pocket of closed-minded people, or whether it was just a problem with her.

The move had been a long time coming, in hindsight. Her Aunt had also been unhappy back in the small-minded town they used to call home, but it wasn't until she realised how miserable Maggie truly was that they decided enough was enough, why flog a horse that couldn't keep standing? So here she was, stood outside Midvale High School, about to start her first day, in a new school, in a new town, with new teachers, and maybe, if she was lucky, new friends.

Maybe she would have better luck this time and make proper friends, the friends you dream of having but only seem really in those overly cheesy films. Although, as she made her way into the school and down the corridor towards where she was hoping the principal's office was located, she started to doubt that this school in this small town was any different from the last one.

Down at the end of the corridor she was walking down, she could see there was something going on, and, as she got closer, her heart sunk as she realized what it was.

On the floor was a young girl; she couldn't have been older than fourteen. She had blonde hair that hung down past her shoulders and bright blue eyes that Maggie could tell were incredibly striking even from a distance. Surrounding her was a group of six girls who looked much older than the girl on the floor, papers were scattered around the floor. As Maggie approached she heard a crunching noise as one of the girls stood on a pair of glasses on the floor breaking the lenses.

Maggie felt her heart clench for the blonde girl as one of the gang of girls kicked the glasses across the floor towards her before sending a second kick to the girl's stomach. She watched the blonde head slam back into the lockers with the force of the blow.

She knew this scene all too well; she had lived it herself time and time before, but there was one difference.

She always fought back. She defended herself, and right now it seemed like this girl either couldn't or didn't know how to. She was just sat, head bowed, taking everything they threw at her as the gang of girls tormented her, beating on her and bullying her into submission for whatever they wanted.

Maggie hated bullies in any shape or form, she couldn't stand people thinking they were better than someone else. She couldn't stand people hurting others for their own fun and enjoyment – and she certainly wasn't going to stand for it now.

She had no idea who this girl was, nor did she want to make enemies on her first day, but she knew she had to do something. She couldn't just sit back and watch this girl get picked on like this.

"Oi!" she yelled, causing the group to turn and look at her, "Six against one is hardly fair," she continued as she walked up to the girls, noticing how the one that stepped on the glasses and delivered the kick was squaring up to her, making herself known as the leader of the pack.

"What's it to you?" the girl sneered, she was tall, and she had long curly brunette hair.

Maggie smirked looking the girl up and down, "Just trying to give you some advice is all, wouldn't want my dad to have to arrest you for assault," she said staring the girl down Her dad could in fact do that, he was a cop after all, these girls didn't need to know the fact that she hadn't spoken to him in almost four years though.

"Whatever, let's go." The girl spat, brushing past Maggie who watched as the other five girls followed suit, "Catch you later 'kl-kl-kl-klutza'" the leader yelled down the hallway, the name causing the girl on the floor to flinch and the group of other girls to laugh as they walked around the corner out of sight.

With a deep sigh Maggie crouched down the floor, using her hands to round up papers she assumed belonged to the blonde in front of her who had yet to move; she seemed to be staring at the floor, blinking slowly.

"Here," Maggie said, moving to hand the girl her papers, "Woah," she said, noticing the girl flinch back into the lockers behind her, "I'm not gunna hurt you," she continued wondering how much the girl could see.

Maggie assumed the broken glasses on the floor belonged to her, as she seemed to be looking more to the left of Maggie's head than directly towards her and she was squinting as she reached out trying to take the papers but missing, her hand instead brushing against Maggie's arm.

"S-S-Sorry," the girl stuttered out in a small voice, recoiling in on herself again, as she moved Maggie noticed that her nose was bleeding, and one side of her face was red as though she had been hit.

"It's okay," Maggie assured her, "you can't really see me that well, can you?" she asked, getting a head shake in response.

Settling the papers under her arm, Maggie made her mind up, she wasn't about to leave this girl alone in the hallway like this when she couldn't see properly.

As Maggie busied herself gathering the blonde's possessions including the broken glasses, the girl listened, her head changing direction to follow the noise she could hear, "A-Are they broken?" she asked, "t-t-the glasses?" she elaborated further.

Maggie had noticed the girl seemed to speak with a stutter, seemingly the first word was the hardest for her to get out, the name one of the bullies had yelled out when leaving before now making more sense, and also making Maggie angrier.

"Yeah, they're pretty smashed up," Maggie responded, noticing the girl looked worried by what she said, "Look, my name's Maggie, I just started here today so I don't really know my way around… But, if you don't mind helping direct me, I can take you to the nurse's office alright?" she asked, standing from her crouched position and holding a hand out close to the blonde, making sure her hand was in the direction the girl was looking.

She was about to prompt the girl to feel for her hand when she was suddenly grabbed from behind and shoved into a locker, "Get the hell away from my sister!" A girl yelled in her face looking livid. She had short brown hair and brown eyes, she was a little taller than Maggie but looked to be roughly the same age as her.

Maggie's eyes widened as she took in how this must have looked - this girl's sister on the floor, with a bloodied nose, Maggie standing in front of her holding her possessions with a hand out in front of her face, "Woah, hey- I swear I didn't touch her I was just trying to help her," she defended herself.

The girl grabbed a fistful of Maggie's shirt holding her in place, "I should give you a taste of your own medicine you-"

"Alex d-d-don't! S-She was helping me, she didn't h-h-hurt me," the blonde girl called out, cutting her off, seeming to realise what her sister was about to do.

The girl – Alex – had her arm raised ready to swing for Maggie but paused after hearing her sisters voice, her eyes hardening, not leaving Maggie's for a moment, "Kara, you don't have to defend them, if she hurt you I swear to god-"

"Sh-she didn't. I-It wasn't her," The girl on the floor – Kara – repeated, cutting her sister off again, causing Alex's arm to drop and her grip to lessen on Maggie's shirt.

Alex breathed out once, then twice, before letting go of Maggie's shirt completely and stepping back, she moved to where her sister was still sat on the floor and crouched down in front of her, "Can't leave you on your own for five minutes can I?" Alex joked softly.

Alex cupped her sister's cheek and turned her face to get a better look, "S-S-Sorry, Alex," Kara replied quietly.

"Hey- no don't, this wasn't your fault okay? You have nothing to be sorry about; you didn't do anything wrong Kara," Alex responded quickly, both girls seeming to have forgotten that Maggie was still standing by the locker that she had been thrown against before by Alex.

"Come on, let's get you up," Alex said quietly, her hands moving to Kara's sides to help lift her up from the floor. About half way up Kara hissed in pain, backing away from Alex's hands with a wince, her face contorted in agony. "Kara?" Alex questioned concerned.

"One of the girls kicked her pretty hard from what I saw," Maggie supplied as Kara was still catching her breath, her voice causing Alex to look back at her remembering that she was still there with them, before turning to her sister again slipping an arm gently around her waist to keep her standing.

Maggie watched, seeing how Kara's eyes closed for a moment as she leant into her sister, burying her head against the slightly taller girls shoulder, "H-Hurts," she stuttered out.

"I know, I've got you okay? Lean on me as much as you need to; we're going to go to the principal's office and get them to call mom, so she can come pick you up," Alex said, speaking into Kara's hair as she rested her cheek down on top of Kara's head.

If it wasn't for the situation Maggie would have smiled. These two sisters seemed like the kind you would see in the movies. They were close; you could tell that from just watching the way they interacted with each other. It was endearing, but as Maggie remembered the way those girls were acting earlier it was probably also a part of what made Kara a target to them.

"Do you think I could come with you?" Maggie asked after a silence, Alex turned to look towards her once again, raising an eyebrow in question, "It's my first day, I was meant to report to the principal's office, but I don't know where it is..." Maggie trailed off with a shrug, looking away from Alex as she continued to watch her, finding it hard to keep eye contact.

"I guess," Alex responded, "I mean I do kind of owe you for helping my little sister…and about that, I should probably apologise for being so aggressive before," she continued, looking sheepish, which Maggie couldn't help but find adorable.

Oh no, not good! _This_ was going to be a problem. She had been at this school for less than one hour, potentially put herself on the firing range of the resident bully squad it seemed, almost got punched in the face, and now, as she looked at Alex, she couldn't help but find herself thinking about how beautiful her eyes looked, how the clothes she was wearing made her look so unique, and how the way she cared so deeply for her little sister was cute and completely charming.

Yes, Maggie Sawyer had been at Midvale High School for less than an hour and already had a crush on one of the first girls she had met. She had no idea if Alex was into girls, or if there was even the remotest possible chance that she would be into her.

The only thing she knew for sure was that this year was going to be one of the most important in her life, and if so far was anything to go by, probably one of the most interesting as well.

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 **A/N: So yeah, this is my first story, all mistakes are my own, and I would really be interested to hear if you want to see any more, if you think I should continue it, what you think will happen and what you think should happen, feedback would be great.**


	2. First Day Trials

**AN:** Sorry it has taken me so long to get this next chapter up, I ended up moving home and things have been a bit frantic but are calming down now. I will try to make updates more frequent. Thank you to those who read and reviewed the first chapter, would love to hear what you think of this one.

Just to let you know- Lena will also be in this story now, she will be coming in a few chapters time meaning I will be turning this into a Karlena slowburn story as well now to, friendship always first though ;)

A/N Update 30/05/18: This story now has a beta. Thank you to _**Sinca**_ for editing this chapter for me :)

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 **Trigger Warnings: References to bullying.**

 **Chapter Two -** First Day Trials.

Meeting the principal had been an interesting affair for Maggie. The woman seemed like the kind of person that you would not expect to be a principal at all. She almost had an air of indifference about her, an air of superiority over both students and teachers in the school. Though, as Maggie watched her through the window when she spoke with Kara and Alex about what had happened in the hallway, she could tell that the apathy was for show.

She acted like she was hard and tough. She commands respect, but inside, she really does care about her students.

The way she introduced herself as _Ms._ Grant emphasized her seeming haughtiness. The title of ' _Ms.'_ had left an air of mystery as to whether she was married or not.

When Maggie had spoken with her before, she seemed impatient and almost bored as she handed over the timetable and explained the systems in place at the school. However, she completely changed when it was brought to her attention that Maggie had witnessed at least part of what had occurred in the hallway.

Then she seemed almost concerned, wanting to know every detail that had gone down.

Now with Kara she seemed different yet again.

She seemed almost tender.

Either that or she had a slightly softer spot for the young blonde girl who had been the subject of the gang's bullying before. Seeing her kinder and less demanding while speaking with Kara was surprising- though, Maggie did wonder if that was perhaps because she noticed the girl's quiet nervousness.

It was clear Ms. Grant new the girl well, she seemed to be able to talk with Kara at ease and she knew to wait and let the girl try to stutter out some speech in reply.

"Here you go lovely, you're all set!" The receptionist called out- a bubbly blonde woman named Eve, Maggie noted by the name plaque that was sitting on her desk.

Tearing her gaze away from what was happening inside the head office Maggie strolled over to the desk and took the offered pass that Eve was handing out towards her. Being late to her first class in a new school was not ideal, but at least with this she wouldn't get in trouble over it, and the teacher hopefully wouldn't already hate her for disrupting the class when she came in.

Smiling in thanks, Maggie made her way to the exit, looking down at the map she had been given and not paying attention to where she was walking.

As she left the office she almost walked head first into an older lady who was rushing to get to the office, "Sorry," she apologised quickly, stepping to the side to let the lady through.

The lady appeared to be in a rush, and worried- her blue eyes looked frantic and concerned, and her blonde hair was slightly wind swept. Muttering her own apology, the lady smiled in thanks, making her way into the office where Maggie could hear the receptionist Eve greet her. "Dr. Danvers, Alex and Kara are in with Ms. Grant. She's expecting you."

 _Dr. Danvers?_ Maggie doubted they would have called in a Doctor to asses Kara after the nurse had already seen to her- unless the injuries were worse than first thought.

 _Could it be that this Dr Danvers was Kara and Alex's Mother?_ That seemed more likely.

Even more so when Maggie turned back to the see the lady rush into the room and sweep Kara into a careful hug, before pulling back to look her over.

Her rush made sense now- she was a concerned parent.

The sight of what she was seeing made Maggie think of her own mother. Her mom had never been the warmest person on the earth- but she cared, or at least she did until _that_ day.

With a suddenly heavy heart Maggie sighed deeply, she turned, averting her gaze and used the map she had been given to make her way down the hallways in search of her first class.

She hoped that she would make it in time before the class was over- maybe she would even get lucky and find someone in that class who had the same class next.

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By the time Maggie had got to her first class there was only ten minutes left, though her teacher- Mrs. Towers, did seem pleasant, and didn't give her the stink eye for coming in so late. So that was a plus.

Maggie hadn't had time to see if anyone in this class would be able to show her where her next class would be- she did however, hear a pair of students moaning about the next teacher they had which appeared to be the same she had on her timetable. So, she decided to follow them and hoped that they had led her to the right classroom.

They did.

 _Score one point!_

What was even better was that she even managed to follow them with drawing attention to the fact she was doing so.

 _Score two points!_

She managed to not only get the class on time but also managed to not look like the weird new stalking kid while doing so. Things were looking up slightly it would seem. Or at least it appeared that way, until the class started.

This class Maggie was sure would be the death of her.

The teacher- _Mr. Crapper, or Clapper was it? Maybe even Snapper?_ Was probably one of the dullest she had ever seen. He [KF3] had the most monotonous voice of any teacher she had ever heard, and she was using the word 'teacher' loosely here.

He barked orders, he glared, he spent the whole class making student after student read a paragraph of the book they were reading and offered no talk on its meaning. Then he got angry when no one could be bothered to answer his questions at the end of the class.

 _What did he expect?_ He bored them all to death by the end of class, no one was left with any motivation to even think about the peculiar questions he had asked.

Now it seemed he was pairing up students for a presentation in which they'd have to answer said question. Maggie wouldn't mind that, she was good at those sorts of assignments usually- but this was her _final_ year.

 _Surely, he should be getting them ready for exams, not doing the same sort of assignments they would have been doing back in freshman year?_

Maggie rolled her eyes leaning back into her chair as the teacher motionlessly read out name after name, pairing students up. The name 'Lucy Lane' was followed by 'James Olsen' causing a whoop from behind her. As she turned to look, she could see a brunet girl high fiving a boy - the same pair she had followed to this classroom.

The girl's description of the class being 'even more boring than watching paint dry' seemed accurate.

In fact, it seemed spot on.

Maggie's attention turned back to the teacher when he cleared his throat pointedly, looking back she saw he was staring at her. "New girl," he said, "Miss?" he enquired.

"Sawyer," Maggie supplied, not even the least bit surprised he couldn't remember her name.

Looking down at the list he was reading from he continued, "You're with Alex Danvers," he said before looking up to the class, "Where is Danvers?" he asked.

 _Typical- he doesn't even notice if his students are missing._

"Alex took her sister home Sir," the girl from before- Lucy- said. "Some idiots couldn't keep their hands to themselves before homeroom, so she's gone to the hospital to get her eyes checked, again."

The class erupted into whispers at Lucy's words, and Maggie was sure that she heard someone motion to her, talking about how she was 'the new kid that stepped in'. The attention and looks made her feel uncomfortable- it seemed familiar.

"Quiet," The teacher barked.

The class quickly obeyed his stern tone and glare, listening to him grumble about not being filled in on anything just as the bell rang. "Assignments are to be ready in two days for our next class on Wednesday. Everyone out." He barked again.

There was noise of talking and chairs scraping on the floor as the class prepared to leave, everyone trying to get out as quickly as possible for morning break it seemed. Following the other students Maggie quickly got her belongings together before making her way to the front of class where Snapper sat reading through a newspaper.

He didn't acknowledge her presence, just continued to read.

"Sir?" Maggie asked, "I was wondering if I could have an extension on the assignment since my partner isn't here today." she asked carefully.

"No extensions. Contact Miss Danvers and sort it out between yourselves." He told her still not looking up.

Maggie rolled her eyes, "But she isn't here and I'm new. I have no way to get in touch with her."

"Not my problem." He replied.

Sighing Maggie left the room, pulling the strap of her bag tighter around her shoulder as she walked into the corridor. She wasn't hungry so didn't see the point in going to the cafeteria. Pulling the map and timetable from her pocket, she decided she would make her way to her next class and wait outside for break to be over.

She had just started heading in what she hoped was the right direction when she heard a shout of 'hey, new girl, wait up!' behind her, making her roll her eyes again.

"I have a name you know?" Maggie said, as she turned around to see Lucy from her previous class making her way over towards her.

Lucy looked at her in amusement, "Well Miss Sawyer seems too formal but if that's what you prefer…" Lucy said, trailing off at the end.

Of course, Maggie realised, Lucy wouldn't have heard her first name. There was no time for introductions in the first class since she was late, and the teacher they had just been with hadn't bothered to call her anything other than new girl or her surname.

"Right, yeah. I'm Maggie, you're Lucy, right?" she introduced.

Lucy raised an eyebrow in response, "Hmm, so you _were_ stalking me before," she commented.

 _Crap._ "Not intentionally," Maggie admitted. "I didn't know where I was going, and I heard you comment on the teacher." She continued. "I didn't know your name till Mr. Crapper said it," she finished before furrowing her eyebrows as Lucy burst out laughing.

"It's Snapper," Lucy explained after calming, "Though Crapper is a pretty good alternative," she chuckled again before adding, "Anyway, I noticed you got paired with Alex- if you wanted you can give me your number and I'll pass it on to her." Lucy offered.

Maggie frowned in response to the offer, "No offence, but I don't really know you well enough to just be giving you my number."

"True," Lucy replied, "but how else are you going to get in contact with her for the assignment?" she asked raising an eyebrow again.

"You could give me her number?" Maggie suggested.

Lucy nodded, "I could," she began, "but I'm not one to give my best friends number to just anyone. I mean, if you wanted, you could ask the receptionist to leave a message for her mother and give her your details that way… I just thought it would be quicker this way- but if you're not interested I guess I'll leave you to it..." Lucy finished as she began to walk away down the hallway.

"Wait," Maggie said relenting, "I'll give you my number, just don't go giving it to the whole school, that's the last thing I want on my first day here…" she mumbled. "- just you and Alex alright?" she continued with a sigh as Lucy walked back towards her and handed her phone to Maggie with a new contact page open.

Typing in the number quickly she handed the phone back to Lucy who typed out a message and then showed her the screen afterward, assuring Maggie that Alex was the only recipient. "There. Done." Lucy said, putting her phone back into her pocket. "If you're still worried, I can delete the number… or you could hang out with me and James and get to know us? We're not the kind of people that would do what you seem to think… but I guess you wouldn't know that yet."

Maggie was about to decline the offer, but then she remembered what her aunt had told her this morning before she left for school.

'Give people a chance, they might surprise you. This can be different if you let people get to know you.'

Lucy didn't seem that bad so far. Slightly forward maybe, but she didn't seem vindictive at all. Usually Maggie had a fairly good judge of character- even if she had only just met Lucy.

Furthermore, it seemed she was friends with Alex, and it couldn't hurt to get to know either of them a bit better. As long as Maggie could keep her feelings in check, everything should be fine.

Hopefully.

Smiling shyly Maggie nodded, "Do you think you could help me find my way to my next class when break is over?"

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The rest of the day had been surprisingly quick and not that bad at all. Maggie's other classes went a lot better and were much more stimulating that Mr. Snapper's class, and now that Lucy was helping her find her way around the school she was even managing to arrive on time to all of them.

Hanging out with Lucy worked well, it seemed they had almost all the same classes together, and during the one period they didn't share, their classrooms were in the same hall.

Lucy herself wasn't too bad once you got to know her a bit. She was rather forward as Maggie had first thought, and at times seemed to be almost in Maggie's face, but not in an aggressive way. She was _intrigued_ about things, was probably the best way to put it.

Maggie was new and shiny to the school and Lucy wanted to get to know her because of it.

She just hoped Lucy wouldn't ditch her once her novelty wore off.

Lucy's friend James seemed like a nice guy as well.

He seemed a lot more laid back. She could see herself becoming friends with him easily. She could also see him and Lucy becoming more than friends in the future as there seemed to be some chemistry there.

A _lot_ of chemistry.

At the very least, today would keep her aunt happy, she wouldn't say they were friends yet, but at least she would actually be honest this time when telling her aunt she didn't spend the whole day on her own.

Climbing into the beat up red pickup that she called her car, Maggie could hear her phone ringing. She thought about just ignoring it and driving to her new home when she remembered she hadn't heard from Alex yet and should probably check it.

Looking at the ID, she noticed it was a number she didn't have saved. She answered the phone and placed it beside her ear before speaking, "Hello?"

 _ **"Hi- is this Maggie?"**_

"Yeah," Maggie said, "Who is this?"

 _ **"It's Alex- Alex Danvers. Lucy gave me your number, she said we have an assignment together in Snappers class due on Wednesday, I was wondering if you would be okay to meet tomorrow lunch, so we can go over it? I'll be back in school tomorrow."**_

"Sure, where should I meet you?" Maggie replied.

 _ **"The canteen? We can go from there."**_

"Okay yeah, that sounds good- we might need to meet after school as well to finish the assignment in time, if you are free?" Maggie asked, she had seen from her timetable that Snappers class was first thing on Wednesday morning.

 _ **"I'm free-ish… but I need to be at home as my Mom has work and I don't want Kara to be left on her own. Would you mind if worked on it at my place?"**_

Maggie's eyes widened, she never expected to be asked home by the girl she fancied on her first day of school- even if it was just for an assignment. "Yeah, that's okay we can do that," she said carefully, "How is your sister?" she added.

 _ **"She's going to be out of school for a couple of days- bruised ribs and the knock to her head means she needs to take it easy. She's tougher than she looks though, she'll be okay… Thank you. For stepping in, I mean. Not a lot of people would have bothered."**_

"You don't need to thank me- I just did what any decent person should." Maggie responded.

 _ **"Well unfortunately there are not many decent people around here… look I have to go, I'll see you tomorrow lunch though, right?"**_

"Yeah. See you tomorrow," Maggie confirmed, smiling slightly as she heard the phone disconnect.

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 **A/N: Please review to let me know what you think!**


	3. The Danvers

**All moved in now! Finally. Will try to update at least once every two weeks- if school works lays off a bit once every week! Hope that's okay. Just wondering if people still like this story or want me to continue as I had no reviews for the last chapter...**

 **Warning: Mentions and references of past child abuse.**

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 **Chapter Three- The Danvers.**

Maggie took a deep breath as she turned the ignition off, looking out to the house in front of her. It was only her second day here in Midvale and so far, things seemed- if possible, even more crazy than they did back in Nebraska.

Her second day at her new school had been okay.

No fights or near fights today which was a good thing.

Her Aunt- though understanding her reasons for getting involved- had not been thrilled when Maggie had admitted to what happened before school even started. There had been too many fights in Nebraska- it was partly why they moved, that and they were both deeply unhappy there.

Though Maggie hadn't thrown any punches to the girls she had put herself on their radar and that worried her Aunt. It made her worry that Maggie would become their next target and the fights would start up again. Maggie had assured her she wouldn't go looking for trouble, but she also wouldn't not defend herself or another if she felt they needed it.

Lucy and James seemed to still be interested in being her friend- either the shininess of being new hadn't worn off yet or they were being genuine.

Either way it made her happy- she was less lonely when with them, and Alex too.

Alex and Lucy were best friends, so where Lucy was Alex was never far behind.

She found herself getting on well with Alex when the brunette wasn't trying to push her into a locker. She found herself liking Alex a lot; she was very funny, smart, caring and loyal.

She was also beautiful.

She didn't flaunt it though, she didn't wear piles of makeup or wear the latest fashion trends.

Alex had a natural beauty, a modest beauty.

Though Maggie tried to push those thoughts away she couldn't stop herself from noticing.

Lunch had been interesting- they did get some work done but also found themselves talking a lot too, Maggie found Alex easy to talk with.

She found herself relaxing in her presence and found herself wanting to spend more time with her.

Though now she wasn't relaxed.

Now she was nervous.

As right now she was sat in her car that parked outside Alex's home. Spending time with someone at school was one thing- but spending time with them at their home was something else entirely. Even if it was just for a school project.

Sighing, Maggie took a moment to collect her thoughts before stepping out of her car taking her bag with her, making sure to lock the car before making her way up to the house and double checking she had got the right place from the address that Alex had given her at lunch. They hadn't arrived together as Alex had gone home after lunch having a free period- she had wanted to check in with Kara.

Alex had offered to wait for her, so she could help direct her to the house, but Maggie had told her not to worry. She figured it would be good for her to try and learn her way around the new town more, and plus her phone had sat-nav for if she did get lost, so it wasn't a problem at all.

Climbing the few steps to the front door Maggie raised her hand to knock and found herself only waiting a moment until the door opened quickly to a woman she had seen before.

It was the woman who she had almost run into yesterday outside the principal's office.

The woman she assumed was Kara and Alex's Mother.

"You must be Maggie," The woman said with a kind smile, opening the door wider for Maggie to enter, "Alex said you would be coming over. Come in- come in, she'll be down in a moment."

 _So, it wasn't just yesterday she was in a rush, this must be normal._

Maggie smiled in thanks before stepping into the house, "Thanks Mrs- sorry Dr Danvers," Maggie replied polity, quickly correcting herself as she remembered the correct title to use.

"Eliza will be just fine dear, no need for formalities here," Eliza said kindly, "especially not when I believe thanks are in order… The girls filled me in on what happened at school yesterday." She continued in explanation.

Maggie nodded, clearing her throat nervously.

Meeting people's parents was never a strong suit for her, she always found herself feeling unprepared and overwhelmed with what to say.

"Oh," Alex's voice sounded from the top of the stairs, "you're here, and my Mom has cornered you I see." She continued jokingly, making her way down the stairs quickly, "You can go on through to the living room if you want, I'll be through in a minute."

Maggie nodded in reply with a smile, "It was nice to meet you," she said to Eliza in parting before making her way through the living room.

As she entered the room she exhaled the breath she had been holding, feeling her body deflate in relief now that she was alone in the room and not with Eliza- who seemed perfectly harmless and the perfect image of a loving caring mother but still scared the hell out of her.

 _Well done Mags- that was awkward._

As Eliza and Alex quietly talked in the front hallway Maggie wondered around the living room looking at the various picture frames that were up on the wall. She noticed there was lot of pictures of Alex as a child and growing up. Lots of picture of Alex with Eliza and a man she had yet to see that she was assuming was Alex's father.

Lots of pictures of Alex but only two of Kara.

One of Kara and Alex, both with their arms wrapped around each other and beaming up at the camera. Another of Alex, Eliza and Kara with Eliza stood in the middle an arm around each of them- though all three of them were smiling, Kara's smile was slightly shyer than in the other picture.

Maggie had been so engrossed in looking at all the pictures that she hadn't noticed that Alex was back in the room until she was stood right next to her. "My Mom said to say bye," Alex began, turning to look at the pictures herself, "and that you should come to dinner one day next week. She wants to say thank you for what you did for Kara the other day."

"Oh- okay, yeah I guess that would be cool?" Maggie replied uncertainly.

She didn't really know Alex that well yet. Sure, they got on okay today but going to dinner with the parent's level- that she wasn't sure about.

Alex chuckled lightly in response, moving to the sofa to grab a couple of cushions placing them on the floor near the coffee table and taking a seat on one, "Don't worry, she'll probably forget. If you wanted to though, I can remind her when she has a clearer schedule." Alex said. At Maggie's questioning look she continued, "Her title of Dr. Danvers is both educational and literal," Alex offered in explanation. "Her work and research projects keep her pretty busy, but she will make time for things that are important to me and Kara."

Maggie nodded in response.

 _Yesterday makes a lot more sense now_ , she thought to herself as she made her way over to the sofa.

Taking a seat on the floor next to Alex on the other cushion, Maggie took her books out from her bag and set them out on the table like Alex had already done with her own. They were quiet for a while, working next to each other in a comfortable silence, until Alex suddenly looked up from her work.

"You can ask, you know? I saw you looking at the photos before," Alex said causing Maggie to look up from her work as well.

 _Busted._

With a nervous chuckle Maggie itched the back of her neck, "I wasn't sure whether I should- I don't really know you well enough to be quizzing you… I was just being nosey while looking around, doesn't give me the right to question you on things that are probably none of my business." Maggie replied looking up to the photographs again.

"That's true," Alex agreed, "it doesn't- though most people wouldn't care and just ask anyway… you can ask, really I don't mind. If you ask something I don't want to answer, I just won't answer." She said with a shrug.

Nodding Maggie placed her pen down, "Fair enough," she said. "I noticed you don't have many pictures of Kara- the ones you do have only have you and your Mom in." Maggie stated, though the statement came out as more of a question.

"Kara's _technically_ my foster sister," Alex admitted, "but we're close, so when people ask its just easier to say she is my sister. To me she is, it doesn't matter that she's not blood related. She's my family."

Maggie nodded again, taking the information in.

It made Alex's protectiveness make a lot more sense and some of the comments she had heard around school about the Danvers Sisters make more sense too. "Are her parents still in the picture?" Maggie asked carefully. She knew that sometimes children were in the foster system as their parents were unfit or not well enough to look after them, whereas other times it was because they had been abandoned, and other times because their parents were no longer alive.

"No," Alex said sadly, "her parents died when she was eleven- but that is something you should really ask Kara about, not me."

Noticing Alex's stopper to that line of questioning Maggie got the hint and moved to another, "How long have your family been fostering her?" she asked.

"She has been staying with me and Mom for just over six months now- but I've known her for just under two years." Alex answered.

 _Interesting- seems like there is a story there._

"Where was she before coming to stay with you?" Maggie asked, pushing for a bit more information.

Alex raised an eyebrow in response, "In the foster system," she said slowly, "as for why she didn't stay in the other homes- again that's something you should ask Kara, not me." Alex continued. "-But not until she is ready to talk to you. Do _not_ push her."

Maggie nodded once, looing away from Alex's piercing gaze.

She understood that as a threat- She knew Alex was saying with those four words 'if you upset her you're toast'.

"I won't," Maggie assured quickly. "I get the foster system isn't great for a lot of kids… guess I was just hoping there was a good reason she didn't stay with you right away- and not just because she was in a bad home, like the ones you hear about in the news." She continued honestly.

She barely knew Kara, yet she still found herself caring about what could have happened to her previously before staying with the Danvers. She cared too much and too quickly about people- it was something she saw as a weakness in herself.

She always found herself navigating to the people she saw as the almost underdogs- the misunderstood- the unfairly treated.

Maggie was a protector by heart.

She would protect those she felt needed it- even when others would turn against her for it, just like they had done in Nebraska.

Sighing Alex ran a hand through her hair, "Kara's been though a lot- it's why I'm so protective of her." Alex said quietly, her voice softer again. "I don't mean to be harsh- I'm just trying to look out for her. She's my sister."

"It's okay- I get it." Maggie said with a small smile which Alex returned. "I may have only met her briefly, but she has an almost endearing quality to her, makes it hard to not want to protect her I can imagine." Maggie continued.

Alex laughed in response, "That would be what Lucy calls the 'puppy look'," she explained.

Maggie smiled at that, "Seems about right," she commented. "Where is she by the way? I thought you said she would be here?" Maggie questioned.

"She is," Alex said, "she's upstairs resting. The pain killers for her ribs make her tired. I was going to order some pizza in a bit and wake her then." She explained.

"You're welcome to stay and eat with us- but if you're one of those people who has pineapple on their pizza, I will make you eat it outside."

* * *

It was less than ten minutes after Alex had placed the pizza order that they first heard Kara stirring. First it was an occasional whimper like noise making Alex look up in concern.

"I might need to go and check on her, I should probably wake her soon for dinner anyway," Alex said looking towards the stairs. Maggie only nodded in response- turning to Alex as she spoke again, "In all honesty she did have it pretty rough before coming to stay with us- sometimes she has really bad nightmares."

Before Maggie could respond the whimpers turned into mumbled talking- talking that Maggie noticed was missing the stutter she had heard from the younger girl the other day when she had first met her. Maggie wanted to tell Alex to go and check on her, that it was fine- instead her mouth had a mind of its own, "She's not stuttering," Maggie commented, wanting to kick herself for it.

 _Really Mags- she's told you she is worried about her sister having a nightmare and all you do is comment on the girl's stutter?_

 _Idiot._

"It's something she does more so when nervous or wound up," Alex said in explanation, otherwise not reacting to the question as she continued to look up the stairs.

Maggie didn't respond, she stayed quiet as they could hear the mumbles turn into pleas and whimpers again, coming out louder and faster.

It was when they heard an almost screamed out _**'no, please! Stop!**_ ' that Alex reacted.

Throwing her pen down Alex jumped up from the floor and rushed to her bag. Grabbing her wallet out from her bag she threw it on the sofa behind Maggie. "There's money in there for the pizza- I have to wake her up, sorry," Alex explained, her apology coming out rushed as she left the room to run up the stairs.

Maggie didn't have time to reply- Alex had already gone.

She could hear rushed footsteps up the stairs which only became louder and more rushed after a loud scream echoed through the house.

There was a small thud like noise followed by crying and mumbled speech shortly after.

* * *

Twenty minutes later as she made her way up the stairs slowly Maggie could hear that Kara was still crying- nowhere hear as loud as when she had woken up screaming but she was still clearly upset.

The pizzas had arrived shortly after Alex had disappeared to calm her little sister who at that time was still crying loudly. Maggie had received a strange look from the delivery boy as she paid for pizzas, who could no doubt hear the noise from inside the house. After paying for the pizzas Maggie had sent Alex a text before realising her phone was still downstairs on the table that they had been working at- after it chimed.

After waiting a while longer she had decided to go upstairs and let them know the food was here after noticing that Kara's cries had quietened.

As Maggie reached the top of the stairs she could see through bedroom door at the end of the hallway that was open slightly that Alex was sat on the floor leaning her back against a bedside cabinet. Kara was practically sat on her lap, her arms wrapped around her sister's middle clutching to her tightly, as Alex ran a hand up and down her back in slow strokes using her other arm to keep the blonde close.

Alex's attention seemed to be solely on her sister.

She didn't notice Maggie making her way towards the room cautiously.

She didn't hear her footsteps softly pad down the hallway either.

She just continued to rock Kara from side to side while murmuring in her ear, in an attempt to soothe her from something that had deeply scared her.

Reaching the door Maggie paused for a moment unsure of what to do.

She could see that whatever nightmare Kara had woken from had clearly shaken her up. She was shaking in her sister's arms, her breathing hitching as she continued to quietly cry into the crook of Alex's neck. As Maggie stood in the doorway, hand raised about to knock lightly on the wooden frame, she couldn't help but feel like she was intruding on a moment where Kara obviously needed her sister and no one else.

She felt as though coming up the stairs was a bad idea and she should just leave them to it, Alex was handling the situation and Kara clearly was not in good place right now.

Maggie was about to turn and walk away again when something caught her attention making her freeze in place and stare with wide shocked eyes.

Alex's rocking had been causing Kara's t-shirt to ride up just slightly at the bottom of her back.

The part of Kara's back that Maggie could now see had a collection of angry, painful, yet fading red scars patchworked across the skin.

As Maggie stared at the scars she could see on the younger girl her mind went into overdrive; Alex had said that Kara's been though lot- that she had it pretty rough before living with them. From the looks of what Maggie was seeing, she would say Kara had more then just a rough past- she had an abusive past. She didn't need to be a cop's daughter to know that those scars looked like the kind of scars a harsh and repeated beating with a belt would leave behind.

She wasn't sure how long she had been staring for, or if Alex had tried to talk to her but Maggie knew that Alex had noticed her in the doorway staring at them.

She knew due to Alex calling her name, she knew due to the fact she could see Alex's hand rub down Kara's back before covering the scars with her arm- effectively blocking her view of them.

Snapping her eyes upwards Maggie looked up to Alex sheepishly at being caught staring, she was about to apologise but before she could Alex spoke again, "I take it that was the pizza arriving I heard a little while ago?" Alex asked quietly.

She was still rocking Kara gently from side to side as she spoke, using her spare hand to stroke Kara's hair softly.

"Um- yeah," Maggie replied, wincing inwardly as she noticed the volume of her voice caused Kara to jump, her arms tightening around Alex in response as she took deep shuddering breaths to calm herself. "Sorry- I didn't mean to scare her," Maggie continued quieter this time taking a step back away from the room, "it's just you left your phone downstairs and I wasn't sure if you heard…" she continued trailing off as she watched while Alex murmured into Kara's ear and moved the hand that was stroking her hair to rub the middle of her back instead. "Do you want me to bring you some pizza up here?" Maggie offered after a silence.

Looking up again, Alex offered a small smile in Maggie's direction, "It's okay," she said quietly, Maggie wasn't sure whether she was talking to herself or Kara, regardless she returned the smile.

"Why don't you go and get some pizza while it's still hot, we'll join you in a little while," Alex suggested, "she needs a little bit longer to calm," she continued in explanation.

Maggie nodded watching for a moment as Alex's attention shifted back to her sister before turning and walking away back down the hallway towards the stairs.

As she walked away she couldn't get the image of what she saw on Kara's back out of her mind.

It made her angry that someone would hurt her in that way- even though she barely knew Kara.

It worried her that she was feeling this way, that she wanted to know Alex better, and that she felt almost protective over Kara.

She had promised herself she would not get attached here.

She wouldn't let herself be hurt the way she had been back in Nebraska.

Though the more time she spent with Alex- the more she wanted to let herself become attached.

* * *

 **Please let me know if you want me to continue with the story, or if you have any suggestions and or things you would like me to try and add?**


	4. You're Home

Hey Everyone, I am so sorry for the delay with this chapter, everything had been hetic and horrible- but anyway I'm back!

Thank you to those who are reading and to those who left me a review, please keep doing so as it really does inspire me to keep going knowing their are readers who are hopefully enjoy my work out there!

In this chapter we see things from Alex's POV, we learn a little more about the Danvers sister and how they came to be and we see a bit more of Maggie interacting with both Alex and Kara, hope you enjoy please let me know your thoughts on this chapter :)

I apologize for any mistakes in this chapter, I have no beta and cannot always see the mistakes straight away or know that they are there to be honest at times, so sorry if you find any...

 **Warnings: References of past extreme physical and emotional child abuse.**

 **Trigger Warning: Talk of extreme child abuse.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four: You're Home.**

Alex breathed heavily after hearing Maggie head back down the stairs again. Clutching Kara a little closer into her chest, she rested her cheek against her little sister's head that was still hidden in the crook her neck. She continued to run one hand gently up and down Kara's spine in long strokes as she rocked her, still trying to soothe her and calm her from her earlier nightmare.

While doing so she found her mind wandering back to Maggie, and the look of horror she had seen on her face at the sight of the scars on her little sister's back.

She knew that look- it was the same look she herself had the first time she saw the extent of what Kara had been through. It was the same look the doctors had, the same look her mother had, the same look any person with a small amount of compassion had.

It was a look, however, that she hadn't wanted to see from Maggie so soon- or if honest, at all until she had gotten to know the new girl in town better.

She liked Maggie.

She may have only met her a few days ago, but still, in the time they had spent together so far, she had enjoyed getting to know her. Alex found that she got on with Maggie well- when she wasn't trying to throw her into a locker that is.

She wanted to get to know Maggie better. To become friends with her, to see if she was trustworthy enough before Kara's past was brought to light like it had just been. It wasn't that Alex was ashamed of Kara and her family- it was more she wanted to protect Kara.

Kara had been through a lot in her fourteen years of life so far, and not everybody in her life had been trustworthy. A lot of people had used the things that had happened to Kara in the past against her- such as the schoolyard bullies.

Maggie was new to town.

She didn't know the lives that the people in Midvale had lead- that Alex, Eliza and Kara had lead.

Alex liked that.

Selfishly she liked that she was a mystery to Maggie just like Maggie was herself was a mystery to everyone in town. She liked that Maggie couldn't give her a knowing look and judge her and her family like the rest of the town could, and how a lot of them did daily.

Maggie couldn't join in with their thoughts and whispers when they saw her, and her mom, and Kara walk into town to get their shopping for the week, or anywhere else they needed to go. The looks of pity from those who tried to understand Kara's shyness and how she would always cling to Alex's hand out of fear when approached by anyone she was unsure of. The whispers about Kara and how much bringing her into their home had changed things for the Danvers family. The tuts and disapproving looks they would receive when Kara became overwhelmed easily in the first few weeks when they took her out.

It happened less often now, but still at times when it did happen, not all people were understanding.

As Alex tried to get her thoughts in order she could feel that her little sisters trembling was beginning to lessen. Gently, she pried Kara away from her neck and created a small amount of distance between them, so she could see her sisters face.

She didn't pull away completely as she knew that Kara needed the contact and closeness right now, but she wanted to be able to talk to Kara properly.

Smiling reassuringly, Alex cupped Kara's cheek in her hand and used her thumb to wipe away the tear streaks and the remaining wetness from underneath Kara's eyes. Noticing that Kara was squinting slightly, she removed her hand to reach behind her on the bedside cabinet for Kara's new pair of glasses.

"That was a pretty bad one huh?" Alex commented, while slipping the glasses into place, moving to take Kara's one hand in her own softly after noticing that her little sister was playing with the hem of her T-shirt. It was a nervous habit of Kara's, playing with objects, her glasses, her clothes- anything really to avoid making direct eye contact.

She did it when nervous or scared- usually when she was worried about being told off for something.

Kara only nodded in response, still looking down at her hand that was now being held in Alex's own.

Giving Kara's hand a squeeze, Alex lifted her other hand up again to rest it at the base of the blonde girl's back, "It's okay," Alex promised, "you're not in trouble. You don't need to be afraid with me or Mom," she continued gently. "We won't ever be mad at you for having a nightmare, or for getting scared about anything at all, you know that, right?" Alex asked.

Again, Kara only nodded in response, continuing to look down at her hands and beginning to play with the jewellery on Alex's hand that was holding her own.

"Can you tell me what you were dreaming about?" Alex asked gently, ducking her head down to try and catch Kara's gaze with her own.

Kara swallowed thickly, glancing up to meet Alex's eyes before looking down again nervously, "T-t-the Morgan's," she began in a whisper, a shudder making its way down her spine at the name, "they c-c-came for me, he was mad at me w-wanted ttto hurt me and hurt y-you and Eliza," Kara continued to explain. "I c-couldn't stop h-him," she finished shamefully.

Alex sighed sadly, squeezing the hand she was holding while rubbing circles on Kara's back, "You're okay, you're safe, me and Mom are too," Alex assured her quickly. "It was nightmare Kar. You're safe now and that is not going to happen- ever," she promised, "they can't come near you, or us- they can't hurt you anymore," Alex promised further, pulling Kara back into her body as her little sister's lip trembled.

The Morgan's were Kara's most recent foster family before she came to live with Alex and Eliza.

Most recent and probably one of the worst she had been in- that was only by speculation that Alex thought that though.

Kara had been in four homes before coming to the Danvers.

Only one of which was what could be considered anywhere even remotely close to a 'good' home. Even that one wasn't safe- but at least in that home she wasn't hurt- at least not physically. They did plenty to hurt her emotionally but did nothing to her that left a mark on her body.

Alex wasn't lying when she said Kara had been through a lot.

She had.

She had been through far too much for a person her age.

She had been through far too much for a person period.

She had scars both physical and mental, left to her by the families she had been with before coming to stay with Alex and her mother.

First there was the family of drunks- the Smiths. A couple who on the outside looked to be caring, but behind closed doors, when the wine bottles were cracked open, turned into completely different people.

They were the ones who beat her so badly one night that the continuous knocks to her head had caused optic nerve damage so bad that it resulted in Kara's partial blindness. They were the reason that Kara now had to wear glasses. They were the reason she flinched if a person was to hold a hand out too close to her face, in fear of being stuck.

Kara had lived with the Smiths for eight months before she was removed from their 'care', and that only happened because they had got so drunk one night that a neighbour had heard the noise from within and called the police.

Kara had been taken to hospital where Jeremiah Danvers- Alex's father- had treated her.

It was during her stay in hospital under her father's care that Alex had first met Kara.

She had been on work experience with her father and had quickly found herself forming a close bond with the blonde girl who was trying so hard to stay positive even though it was clear to anyone who saw her that she was terrified. Alex had helped her pick out what frames to choose from the ones social services were willing to pay for. She had helped Kara keep up with her school work while she was in hospital recovering. Even after her work experience had ended Alex had kept going back to the hospital to visit Kara, until she was deemed fit enough to leave and sent to her next home.

Jeremiah had been the one to broach the subject one evening, Alex had listened in while sitting on the stairs as her father had spoken to her mother about Kara and what she had been through. She had listened as her father proudly told her mother about the way in which Alex had interacted with Kara and how he said it always saddened him that they were unable to give Alex a sibling. Jeremiah had asked how Eliza would feel about fostering the girl he had told her about, and after a discussion Alex had been overjoyed when she heard her mother agree that when her father returned from his month-long work trip coming up that they would look into the possibilities of doing so.

The month had seemed to drag on forever for Alex who had not even tried to hide the fact that she had heard her parents' conversation, making it well known that she knew they were going to look into fostering a child- fostering Kara- and extending their family. Giving Alex the younger sister she had always wanted from a young age.

During that time though, Kara had moved in with her second foster family.

The second family Kara stayed with was a family that Alex had now labelled: The Superstitious Wack-jobs after hearing about them from the social worker and small details Kara had discussed with her.

They were a family named the Parry's, that had two daughters already who were both older than Kara. One didn't live with them anymore and from what Kara had told Alex about them, she never met her. The other one was a year younger than Alex herself, and caused Kara a lot of trouble in her time there. Rosaline would blame Kara for anything she did wrong, so that Kara would receive a punishment instead of herself.

The punishments were not anything like what Kara had received from the Smiths, nor were the reasons given as to why she was receiving them.

The Parry's never physically hurt Kara, they did however leave her with emotional scars that still to this day bring on panic attacks if she feels too closed in.

Their form of punishment was to lock Kara in a small closet. A closet that was dark and barely had room to move in. All she would have with her was a bottle of water if they remembered to give her one.

So no, they did not harm her physically like the others- but they did neglect her, and they did still abuse her.

Kara was with the Parry's for six months, she was removed after a surprise visit by a social worker checking up on the placement. When the social worker had come Kara had been locked in the closet, and when they let her out she was in full blown panic mode which made it clear to the social worker this was the first time this had happened.

She was removed right away and placed into her next home shortly afterwards.

It was during the time Kara had spent with the Parry's that Alex and her family had gone through troubles of their own. Jeremiah had been away for work, he had been meant to return after one month- in the end he never returned like he was meant to. While traveling home to his family the plane he was on had a fault- there were no survivors.

Eliza had not coped well- and Alex had been hit hard as well.

They both had struggled, and it took them both a long time to come to terms with losing Jeremiah so suddenly. In the midst of all the grief their plans to extend their family- to foster Kara- had been the last thing on their minds.

After Kara had been removed from the Parry's she was sent to a third family.

A family Alex had quickly labelled: The Religious Nut-jobs after hearing from the social worker and in part from Kara about her time with them. They were a couple who had no other children named the Stevens.

The Stevens family believed that children should be seen and not heard- this belief was what brought on Kara's stutter due to the time she spent with them making her fearful of talking unless she was asked a direct question.

They also believed the biblical saying of: if you spare the rod you spoil the child.

Of course, their version of the rod was anything that could cause pain. Belts, yard sticks, chains, rope. You name it- they probably used it. They are half to blame for the patchwork of skin Kara owns on her back, thighs and buttocks now. Punishments or 'lessons' as they called it, were just another name for the abuse the Kara received at their hands.

Kara was with them the longest of all her homes- mainly due to her fear of talking to anyone about what was happening or talking at all due to the 'lessons' she had learnt about how children should stay quiet. She stayed with the Stevens for just over a year and it was only after a particularly bad beating, that caused her to pass out in public the next day resulting in her being rushed into hospital, that she was removed from the home.

Eliza had been on shift when Kara was admitted to the hospital, an old lady had found her face down on the sidewalk bleeding badly from her back. Eliza had no luck in getting her to talk, Kara had been too afraid to speak and only cried silently as Eliza had treated her.

Alex had decided to visit her mother at the hospital that day. She had been waiting for Eliza to finish so they could have dinner together and when her mother had been running late she had gone to search for her wondering if there had been an emergency that caused a hold up.

When she found her mother with Kara she had remembered the girl instantly.

It had shocked her how different Kara was from the first time they had met.

It had shocked her how fearful Kara seemed to hold eye contact, how she was terrified to talk.

It broke her heart to see the girl who had been fighting so hard to stay positive, beaten down and afraid like she was in that moment. Alex didn't even know Kara that well, they had only spent just over two weeks getting to know each other when she had met the younger girl a year and a half ago- but still, she found herself drawn to Kara.

Seeing Kara again reminded her of the excitement she had felt when her mother and father had discussed the possibilities of fostering her after her father had witnessed how quickly they formed a bond when Kara had been brought in after her time with the Smiths. She found herself wanting to protect her and she had been able to tell that her mother felt for Kara as well- even more so after Alex revealed that she was the same Kara that her father had spoken about before his trip.

The same Kara they had spoken about looking into the possibilities of fostering.

It was then that Alex made the suggestion to Eliza that they should apply to foster Kara- just like they had planed to before Jeremiah had left and then never returned.

After a long discussion Eliza had agreed and started the process, knowing that it was something that Jeremiah would have wanted if he had still been with them. He would have agreed with Alex when she had said it wasn't fair to let Kara go back into the system again when they could give her a safe and loving home.

All in all, the process took five weeks for the Danvers to be granted permission to foster Kara.

Eliza's connections at the hospital had helped speed the process along but still there were a lot of steps to undergo, and due to the still recent family trauma of losing Jeremiah both Eliza and Alex had to be psychologically reviewed. It made Alex laugh that they had to be reviewed, she wondered how the people who had been fostering Kara before had been reviewed and passed. She wondered if the families she had been sent to that were meant to be safe had been checked and reviewed.

In the time it took for the application to go through Kara had been moved into her fourth home, where she had stayed for four weeks after she had been deemed fit enough to be discharged from hospital.

She had been sent to live with the Morgan's.

The Morgan's were a family that should have never been allowed to foster children.

None of the families Kara had been with should have ever been allowed to foster children- but this family, from the small amount Alex had been able to get Kara to tell her of them- they were monsters.

The Morgan's were a family that consisted of a drugged up deluded mother, a dirtbag sleezy son the same age as Alex herself, and a drug dealing maniac father.

Alex still doesn't know the full extent of what happened to Kara during her stay with the Morgan's, as Kara rarely talks about them. Every time Alex and Eliza try to ask her she clams up or becomes fearful bringing on a panic attack- the therapist they had been sending her to has the same problem as well.

Kara can talk about the other families when she is feeling secure enough, but the Morgan's are usually a no-go area. Alex has learnt to not ask questions about them unless Kara instigates a conversation herself- and she rarely does.

Whatever it is that Kara saw and suffered while with the Morgan's had traumatised her too much.

That trauma leaks into her dreams and gives her nightmares. When she wakes up terrified, screaming and crying Alex tells her repeatedly that she is safe now, and that it was just a dream- but honestly Alex can't be sure it was just a dream.

She doesn't know for sure, for all she knew it could be a memory of something that happened.

"L-Lexie p-please do-nt make m-me g-go bac-k," Kara begged through the tears that had started running faster again, causing Alex to snap out of her thoughts.

She frowned, holding Kara closely as the girl began to tremble violently in her arms again, "I've got you, I've got you Kara," Alex soothed, berating herself for prompting Kara to talk about her dream.

"You're safe now and I promise you will never go back there again, you're going to stay with me and Mom for as long as you want to," Alex promised, speaking the words into Kara's hair with kisses in-between. "You're home now Kara- you're home, and you're safe, I promise."

* * *

Alex sighed as she descended the stairs, she could see Maggie's bag was still on the floor in her living room but couldn't yet see Maggie. She had been sure after seeing the look of shock on her face that Maggie would have left after seeing what she saw on Kara's back.

Thankfully she hadn't from the looks of it- but now that left Alex with another problem.

Now she had to try and explain to Maggie what she had seen without giving her Kara's life story.

She had meant what she had told Maggie before, some of the questions that she had been asking were not Alex's to answer. For too long Kara had people dictate to her and control her life for her.

Alex and her Mom refused to do so.

They wanted to help her, to guide her, to give her the love and time she needed to heal. The did not want to control her, they didn't want to force her into situations that she did not feel ready for.

They did not want to take choices out of her hands that were Kara's to make.

Telling people the extent of what she had been through- telling Maggie- that was Kara's choice. Alex was not going to take that away from her- even if Maggie had seen the scaring on her back. She would tell Maggie the bare minimum needed, so that Maggie could understand the scars are from a previous home- not from her time with here with the Danvers.

She knew Kara would be a few minutes longer before coming down stairs, Kara would want to wash her face, so it didn't look as though she had been crying. She would want to get changed and round up her sketching pads and sketching pencils that Alex had brought for her as a moving in present when she first came to live with them six months ago.

Kara was a keen sketcher- though she did have sight problems she didn't let that stop her. She enjoyed sketching and found it relaxing.

Alex had found that when she was worked up or had been having a rough night plagued with nightmares, that taking her new little sister to the beach, so she could sketch would always help her relax. Sometimes enough to talk to her about what she was dreaming about, sometimes only just enough to make the tension leave her shoulders for a few days.

Either way- it always helped.

Alex had suggested they do so today after Kara had calmed, and she had managed to get the girl stuttering nervously in reply to a few more questions. Alex had decided she wasn't going to push Kara- it got them nowhere- instead she would try and help Kara relax.

Seeing as Maggie was still here, it would also give her a chance to show Maggie the beach, as the new kid at school had told her today that she had yet to visit the beach.

Alex herself was a big lover of the beach.

She loved surfing, rocking climbing, any beach games. She liked to build sand castles with Kara or read next to her as the younger girl sketched. She liked to take a morning run on the beach. Really, she just loved the beach and given the chance would happily sleep there under the starry nights sky if warm enough.

She knew she was lucky with where they lived, being so close to the beach. They literally only had to step outside the garden, walk down the road and there it was. Alex had spent years getting to know the beach just outside her house. She knew all the best spots for whatever she wanted to do.

Today they would want a quiet spot. Kara would need the quiet to unwind. Alex knew the best place to go, she knew all the quiet and harder to reach area near the coves.

Those were Kara's favourite.

She would disappear into the coves on her own to sketch, then come out later on much more relaxed. When Alex took her there she would set up a base, a short walking distance from the cove, and make sure her little sister had her phone with her before telling her it was okay to go if she wanted to.

She hoped Maggie would be open to coming with them today. That way Kara could relax and put herself back together and Alex could attempt to at least partially explain to Maggie what she had seen without ruining her little sisters trust in her.

Making her way into the kitchen Alex stopped in the doorway upon seeing Maggie sat at the kitchen table, playing on her phone. "Hey," Alex greeted from the doorway, "have you eaten?" Alex asked further, taking a step into the room.

"No, I wanted to wait for you guys- I put the pizzas in your top oven," Maggie said, looking up from her phone to smile gently at Alex for a moment before her expression turned more serious. "Is Kara okay?" she asked carefully.

Alex took a deep breath before making her way over to the table and taking a seat next to Maggie, "No," she answered truthfully, "she's pretty shaken up- but she will be. There's somewhere I usually take her- it helps her calm down," she continued. "Did you want to join us?" Alex asked.

"Are you sure?" Maggie asked uncertainly. "I mean, you said its somewhere you take her to help her calm down- will she be able to with me there?" she continued in concern.

 _Could this girl be any sweeter!_

 _She barely knows us, and she cares so much already. Kara needs more people like Maggie in her life._

 _I need someone like her._

Smiling Alex nodded, "It's fine- I already asked her and she is happy for you to come too. To be honest usually Kara needs a bit of alone time when we're there, so you can keep me company," Alex replied with a small smile, looking away as a blush crept up onto her cheeks as she realised the implications of what she had just said.

"Long as you're sure," Maggie said after a moment, standing from the chair she had been sat in.

Nodding Alex stood herself moving to the top oven and turning it off before carefully taking the pizza's out. She opened one of the three boxes and held a hand in front of the pizza to check it was still hot. Happy that it wouldn't need to be microwaved to ensure it was still warm when they got to the area of the beach they would be heading to she then closed the lid to the box again.

After, Alex walked to the other side of the kitchen, opening a small pantry and taking a backpack out that had insulting padding in it knowing from experience it would keep the food warmer. As she moved back over to where the pizza boxes were, Alex found herself smiling as she could hear Kara running down the stairs, for someone so small she sure could make a lot of noise.

Alex placed the pizzas into the backpack before turning back to Maggie, finding her looking up in confusion, probably wondering what the noise was.

Chuckling at the girl's expression, Alex swung the backpack over her one shoulder carefully, "That was Kara coming down the stairs," she explained.

Moments later Kara entered the room quietly, looking at them both in confusion as they turned to look at her, before quickly looking to the ground and fiddling with the sleeve of her hoodie.

Noticing the nervous habit from her little sister Alex made her way over to the younger girl, looking down to meet her gaze before carefully slipping an around her waist in a side hug, causing Kara to look back up at her.

"Ready to go?" Alex asked quietly.

Kara nodded in response, moving to shift her glasses back up the bridge of her nose afterwards as they had fallen down due to the movement.

"Okay, just let me lock up," Alex said further, moving to untangle her arm from Kara's waist. While doing so she noticed that Kara had her messenger bag with her, "Hey Kar, do you mind grabbing some drinks from the fridge and carrying them in your bag?" Alex asked.

Kara nodded in response, moving to make her way over to the fridge as Alex turned to Maggie, "Water okay? Or we have juice- I think?" Alex asked.

"Waters fine- thank you," Maggie responded, "can I help with carrying anything?"

Alex was about to say no, when she remembered that Maggie may not want to sit on the sand like she and Kara were used to doing, "There's a blanket on the back of the couch we take sometimes. If you want to grab that we can use it to sit on," Alex said as she made her back into the living room, walking through into the hallway towards front door.

Locking the front door quickly and pocketing the keys so they could lock the back-kitchen door on their way out, Alex then made her way into the living room to see Maggie had just finished folding up the blanket and was holding it to her chest while picking up her bag from the floor.

Alex found herself forgetting to breath for a second as Maggie looked up to meet her eyes and smiled softly at her, her smile really was beautiful.

 _It's the dimples- it must be._

As they made their way into the kitchen where Kara was waiting for them, Alex looked to her sister with a raised eyebrow noticing her messenger bag did not seem to be looking full enough to hold three drinks, "Did you remember to grab yourself a drink Kar?" she asked gently.

She didn't want to call Kara out too obviously while Maggie was here, but she knew Kara hadn't.

The reason why she hadn't, was because Alex had forgot to tell her it was okay. Kara would only ever take food and drinks once she had been assured it was okay to do so.

Alex and Eliza were constantly having to remind her it was okay for her to do so, she didn't need permission if she wanted a drink as long as it wasn't alcohol and she didn't need permission to eat- but still Kara was nervous to do so without confirmation it was okay beforehand.

It was one of the things they were still working with her on from her time in the different homes she had been in. They had yet to find out which family were the cause for this behaviour.

Alex smiled sadly as Kara's eyes snapped up to her own for a moment searchingly before she moved to the fridge. Alex kept eye contact, giving her little sister an encouraging nod as she looked back towards her before grasping a small carton of apple juice- noticeably the smallest drink in the fridge- before closing the fridge door and placing the carton into her bag.

"Come on, let's go show Maggie the best spot on the beach," Alex said walking up to Kara and taking her hand in her own, she smiled softly as she felt Kara clutch her hand, knowing it was her way of saying thank you without words and her way of looking for comfort.

* * *

Alex couldn't help the laughter the bubbled in her chest as her mind went back once again to the moment Maggie had slipped on the pebbles leading down to the beach and landed on her ass with a surprised yelp less than one hour ago.

"Oh my god!" Maggie exclaimed to the left of her, "It really wasn't that funny, I can't believe you are still laughing about it," she grumbled lightly, with a playful shake of the head.

 _Actually, it was that funny._

The thing Alex had found most funny was the look of complete and utter surprise on Maggie's face as she looked up at both Kara and Alex who had turned to look at her wondering what the noise was about. It wouldn't have been as funny if Maggie herself hadn't told Kara to take it steady in concern after seeing the younger girl wobble slightly just moments before.

The thing that made the moment so memorable to Alex though was the laugh the situation had brought out of Kara. It was a laugh she didn't hear often from her little sister.

It showed that despite her quietness and her clinginess, Kara was starting to feel a bit more relaxed in Maggie's presence than she had been when she first walked into the kitchen earlier. Kara didn't feel relaxed and comfortable around a lot of people, and those she did it had taken a long time for her to warm up to.

Seeing her relaxed enough to be laying on the ground in front of them, happily sketching away right now was amazing. For Kara to be putting herself in this position was a really big deal.

The trust she was showing not only to Maggie, but to Alex herself too, was completely off the charts- especially considering they barely knew Maggie. Kara was trusting Alex's judgment on Maggie and her decision to include her in their outing. She was trusting in Alex to keep her safe- like she had promised her she would.

Alex could tell Kara was still being a little bit cautious, she was facing Maggie, glancing at her every now and again, and she was laying close to Alex still, her one arm leaning against Alex's own leg keeping a constant contact as she drew in her sketch pad.

The pizza's they had brought with them had been quickly demolished- most of which by Kara who had blushed slowing down when Maggie commented on how she ate like she had been starved for a week. The comment made Alex cringe slightly and lean over to rub her hand down Kara's arm absentmindedly which quickly stopped Maggie's light teasing.

Alex had made a mental note that maybe it would be an idea to talk to Maggie a little bit about Kara's past sooner rather than later. Not the full extent, as that was Kara's story to tell- but enough for Maggie to understand the way in which Kara acted sometimes.

She would do so later, when Kara was not within ear shot.

To be honest she was surprised Kara was still with them. She had expected her little sister to head off to the small cove around to the side of the rocks that she liked to sit in sketching at times on her own. That's what she was used to Kara doing, wanting her alone time to get her thoughts together and work on a sketch, but with Alex close by for if she needed her.

The fact that hadn't been the case today concerned Alex slightly.

She was unsure if the nightmare from before had shaken Kara up even more than what Alex herself had first thought, making her younger sister want to stay closer than she usually would on the beach. Or it could just simply be that she felt more at ease than she had done in previous days, and didn't need the space to collect her thoughts like she usually did.

"Whatcha drawing little Danvers?" Maggie asked suddenly, her voice breaking through Alex's thoughts as the smaller girl leaned forwards slightly to address her little sister.

Kara stopped sketching and looked up quickly at the name.

A look of confusion on her face making a small crinkle appear between her eyebrows that caused Alex to smile. She always found Kara adorable when she had that expression of the little crinkle that was currently present.

What she found more adorable though was the way Maggie had just referred to her as 'little Danvers'.

Kara tiled her head to the side, "I-I'm t-tech-ni-nically not a D-Danvers y-y-yet," Kara said quietly, glancing to Alex as she slowly pulled herself up into a sitting position.

"Oh," Maggie began sheepishly, "sorry, I just assumed," she continued ruffling her own hair as she scratched the back of her neck, "I guess Kara Danvers just kind of suits you," Maggie finished with a shrug.

Alex stayed quiet, watching the interaction with interest, she watched as Kara looked down at the blanket, picking at it slightly.

Looking back up again Kara bit her lip softly, "I-It's Zorel," Kara offered, "m-my n-name, Kara Zorel," she continued in explanation.

Alex's eyes widened in surprise.

She hadn't expected Kara to give her second name to Maggie, Kara hardly ever corrected people when they didn't say her right name. She hardly ever spoke of her parents to anyone- not even Eliza.

Alex was the only person Kara would talk to about her parents, giving Maggie her family name, for Kara, was a big deal.

Maggie nodded taking in the information, "Kara Zorel is a pretty cool name," she offered with a smile, "though I'm still gunna call you little Danvers- 'cos I plan on calling your sister Danvers, as I know it annoys her from that huffing sound she makes when I say it," Maggie continued with a chuckle as she heard Alex huff in response to her statement.

"I do _not,_ make a huffing sound," Alex grumbled, her response making Maggie laugh and Kara smile as she glanced at her, "Kara! Back me up, I do not huff right? Right?" she continued, rolling her eyes as Kara only looked to the side, shrugging in response, "You're meant to be on my side," Alex joked, ruffling Kara's hair fondly so her sister knew she was only playing.

Kara could easily become afraid if she thought someone was angry with her.

Playful banter such as they were engaging in now had gone wrong in the past and left Kara in a panic, so it was important to make sure Kara knew she really wasn't angry at all. Eye contact, and light physical contact were always the best way to assure Kara. So after ruffling her sister's hair, Alex met the younger girl's eyes and smiled softly at her.

Her smile become wider as Kara leaned into her side resting her head against Alex's shoulder.

She could hear Maggie laughing and as she glanced up she raised an eyebrow, "I'd rather huff than yelp like an old lady," Alex joked, returning the friendly banter.

She smiled in victory as Maggie stopped laughing in shock, her smile only growing more as Kara laughed beside her, hiding her face against Alex's shoulder as she did so to quieten the sound.

"Touché Danvers," Maggie said chuckling herself.


	5. The Author & The Artist's Cove

**A/N:** Hi all, sorry again for the wait with this chapter, I was a but unsure about it and rewrote it a few times, so I hope you like it...

This is in Kara's POV, we see a little more of her perspective of how it is living with the Danvers, some Danvers family bonding as such, and we see Kara's sketching cove...

Please note I now have a beta for this story, _**Sinca,**_ who has not seen this chapter yet, but I expect an update removing any mistakes I have been sure to miss after she has looked over it for me... sorry about that...

* * *

 **Trigger Warnings: Past child abuse references.**

 **Chapter Five** \- The Author & The Artist's Cove.

 _Bacon?_

That was the first thought that popped into Kara's mind as she woke up.

She could smell the bacon cooking from downstairs, the smell of it instantly making her feel hungry and ready for breakfast.

Kara loved her food, especially bacon.

She loved all food and would eat anything she was given- that was something she learnt to do more so after her time in the foster system.

Before her parents had died she had been a rather fussy eater, well that was what her mother always said teasingly anyway. It was in her first home with the Smiths' that she had learnt to eat anything and everything she was given regardless of its taste and regardless of whether it was burnt or out of date. If she didn't eat what they gave her she knew she would go hungry, and often did in that first home.

They took her fussy eating habits as an insult and constantly punished her for it until she learnt to just eat whatever she was given and be thankful for it, or not eat at all and be beaten black and blue for it.

That hadn't happened here with the Danvers, yet.

Alex had promised her numerous times that it wouldn't, Eliza too- but still Kara had trouble believing it with the memories of everything that happened to her in her previous homes being far too fresh in her mind.

Both Alex and Eliza were constantly asking her what kind of food she liked, and if she wanted to choose what they would eat together as a family. It had taken Kara the best part of four months to admit that bacon was one of her favourite foods, which now resulted in them having it for breakfast much more often.

Stretching carefully, mindful of her still sore ribs, Kara pulled herself up into a sitting position on the bed and looked around the room, her eyes squinting as she had yet to put her glasses back on. Last night she had ended up staying in Alex's bed when by just after 2am she had woken Alex for third time that night by screaming from yet another nightmare.

Alex had been instructed by Eliza to make sure Kara took the pain medication, she did, and that was the result. The medication made her fall into a much deeper sleep, which unfortunately left her mind wide open to the horrors she had been through and brought about some of the worst nightmares she had suffered through in a while.

Though Alex had been patient and calm with her, trying to soothe her back to sleep, after that third and admittedly worst nightmare Kara had been unable to even attempt to sleep.

The two sisters- _foster sisters_ , Kara always had to remind herself- had then retreated to Alex's room, and cued up a movie on the small TV Alex had in her bedroom. Kara remembered getting about half way through the movie until the feel of Alex's hand trailing up and down her back lulled her to sleep.

Whether it was a coincidence, or whether it was the fact that having Alex next to her and being in her arms soothed her, Kara didn't know- but either way the nightmares had stopped for the rest of the night.

She hadn't woken again until the smell of the bacon cooking downstairs pulled her from her sleep.

Picking up her glasses from the bedside table where Alex had placed them last night, Kara slipped them on and found it much easier to take in her surroundings. The room seemed clearer now, less fuzzy and more vibrant.

As she looked around she could see Alex was not in the room anymore, the bathroom door was open too, which meant she wasn't in the bathroom either.

 _Alex must be making breakfast 'cos Eliza is usually still sleeping after having done a night shift,_ she thought to herself, _which means extra crispy, borderline burnt, bacon this morning._

Standing from the bed, Kara made her way out of the room and slowly walked down the stairs, being careful to make as little noise as possible so she didn't wake Eliza. When Eliza has been working a night shift she usually wouldn't get home until just gone five in the morning. She would go straight to bed and still be asleep when Kara and Alex would leave for school. That hadn't been the case for the last two days though; Monday Eliza had been called into school to pick Kara up, so had been woken early, and yesterday Eliza had been up by the time Alex left taking care of Kara.

It made Kara feel bad that she had been disrupting Eliza's routine, especially after seeing how tired it had made her new foster mother.

As Kara made her way through into the kitchen, following the small of bacon, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, still feeling a bit drowsy from having just recently woken.

She found herself stopping still in her tracks as she heard two different people laughing lightly.

Lowering her hands, allowing her glasses to drop back into place, Kara found herself instinctively tensing as noticed Alex sat at the kitchen table watching her with a fond smile on her face and Eliza stood in front of the stove with a wooden spatula in hand.

The spatula's mere presence causing Kara to shudder involuntary.

Noticing Kara's shudder, Eliza quickly placed the spatula behind her on the kitchen counter, "Morning sweetie," Eliza greeted softly, "when Alex told me bacon would wake you instantly I didn't think she was being serious," she continued chuckling lightly at Kara's bed-hair and still dazed appearance.

Kara swallowed thickly, "G-g-g-ood m-m-morning 'liza," she greeted quietly, hands automatically moving to play with the hem of her pyjama top self-consciously as she grew nervous under Eliza's gaze.

"Come sit down Kar, there's some juice here for you," Alex mentioned, pulling out the chair next to her as she spoke.

Kara moved quickly to the table, taking a seat next to Alex as Eliza smiled turning back to the stove. She startled slightly as she felt Alex take hold of one of her hands, stopping her from being able to fiddle with her clothes. Looking up Kara smiled as Alex winked at her, motioning towards the glass of juice on the table in front of her.

Taking the glass carefully, Kara lifted it to her lips and sipped slowly as Alex watched her for a moment, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

When Kara squeezed her hand back, Alex turned back to her books, smiling slightly as she could feel Kara peering over her shoulder, "I'm just finishing up the work for the presentation with Maggie later today, then we can go to the beach after breakfast if you like?" Alex asked after explaining what she was doing.

Kara's eyes widened slightly in response, _how did she know I was thinking of going back to the beach again today?_

A small crinkle appeared between Kara's brows as she became lost in her thoughts causing Alex to chuckle lightly.

"Don't over think things Kar, you'll freeze with that crinkle still present," Alex joked lightly, "I know you want to go to the beach, you didn't go to the cove last night which means you will want to go today, am I right?" Alex asked.

Kara only nodded slowly in response, an expression of confusion on her face.

She didn't understand how Alex knew this so well- knew her so well.

Was she really that easy to read like the other families had always mocked her for? Or, was it just that Alex paid more attention to her than other people did?

Alex wasn't looking at her in a mocking way, nor was she looking at her in annoyance.

She was looking at her with kindness and understanding, something Kara still was having trouble getting used to, but something she was so incredibly grateful for.

Alex always knew what she needed and when, she was always patient and understanding with her in a way she had not been used to being treated in so long.

"T-thanks, Alex," Kara murmured quietly.

She smiled brightly, feeling happy as she noticed her response caused for Alex to smile wider before returning to her work still holding Kara's hand in her own.

* * *

Half an hour later, after breakfast had been eaten- almost half of which was eaten by Kara, who always ate every meal as though it may be the last one she had in a long time- Kara and Eliza were still in the kitchen while Alex had gone to shower and get ready for school before heading to the beach for the rest of the morning. Alex always had Wednesday mornings off school, having no lessons until third period.

While Alex was busying herself making sure she was ready for when she needed to leave for school, Eliza was checking over Kara's ribs to see how the swelling and bruising was doing compared to yesterday morning.

The dose of painkillers Kara was currently taking was around the middle mark of what she could do. So, if the pain did get increasingly worse she could take more, not that she would want too. The fact they made her nightmares worse was part of the reason why she was not taking the full amount she should do. Kara hadn't wanted to take any, knowing from previous experience that they would make her dreams worse, but Eliza had comprised with her and allowed her to take a smaller dose- though only if she stayed off school for the full week that Doctor Hamilton had recommended.

Doctor Hamilton was the doctor who had been treating Kara since she had been removed from the Morgan's 'care'. She was a good friend of Eliza's and a good doctor, she had always been gentle and considerate with Kara, though it didn't make going to see her any easier for Kara. Hospitals and doctors scared her, it was part of the reason why she was still rather nervous around Eliza at times.

That, and the fact Eliza was her new primary guardian, the past guardians she had hadn't been very caring at times and Kara was still on edge in her new home.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak.

Currently, Kara was sat on one of the kitchen chairs, Eliza sat in front of her on another with the medical kit out on the table. Kara was holding her pyjama top up slightly with a trembling hand as Eliza carefully looked over the bruising on her torso around her ribs.

Eliza sighed deeply, trying to conceal a wince, "These look nasty, I think the bruising is worse than yesterday, have you been in more pain?" Eliza asked softly.

Eliza was always soft with her, patient like Alex- but still Kara found herself feeling nervous with her a lot of the time.

"A l-l-little," Kara answered honestly, the hand she was holding her top up with gripping a little bit tighter, "I f-f-fell out-ta bed y-y-yesterday 'cos of a b-bad d-d-d-dream," she continued with a struggle, speaking with Eliza was always harder than with Alex.

When she felt more nervous it made it harder to get the words out.

Eliza nodded, a concerned look on her face. "I need to check the placement, let me know if it hurts and I'll stop right away, okay?" Eliza asked calmly, looking up to maintain eye contact with Kara as she spoke.

Kara swallowed thickly before nodding in reply.

Taking a deep breath, Kara tensed as Eliza began to prod around her ribs as gently as possible, while still applying enough pressure to see if anything had been moved out of place from her fall yesterday. Kara flinched slightly as she felt some pain but didn't speak up in fear of angering her foster mother.

Eliza paused looking up in concern, "Do you need me to stop Kara?" She asked.

Kara shook her head, releasing a shaky breath, Eliza continued to watch her closely for a moment before continuing her examination. Kara was trying her best not to react but found herself tensing again as a more tender area had pressure applied. Her eyes began to water as she felt more pain in the most tender spot and she couldn't stop a whimper from sounding which alerted Eliza to the fact she had been in pain and had not let her know.

Eliza stopped instantly, pulling her hands away from the tender area before slipping from her chair to kneel on the ground in front of Kara. Eliza took Kara's hands in her own and rubbed her thumb softly along Kara's knuckles. "Breathe slowly, sweetheart," Eliza instructed softly, "that's good, Kara. Keep going, concentrate on your breathing," she continued after Kara had managed to slow her breathing slightly.

While Kara worked on regulating her breathing as the pain began to subside, Eliza watched her carefully continuing to rub her knuckles gently.

Kara found herself unable to look in Eliza's eyes as she felt a panic begin to rise in her chest. Eliza had told her to tell her if it hurt, she hadn't. Eliza had taken time from her routine to check her ribs, and then she had to stop because of her.

Kara could feel a dread consume as she began to think the worst. She had done less in other homes and been punished severely for it.

"S-s-s-sorry," Kara whispered, a tear trickling down her cheek as she spoke.

Eliza lifted one hand, reaching up to brush the tear away slowly, the action causing Kara to flinch at first expecting to be hit, "You have nothing to be sorry for," Eliza assured quickly, "you're not in trouble Kara, I'm not going to hit you. You're safe here, I promise."

Kara wanted to believe her, but she there were too many thoughts running through her mind, too many memories, and too many nagging feelings telling her not to believe that she was safe.

"B-but I-I-I keep m-making you have to c-c-c-hange your r-r-routine," Kara whispered, beginning to voice the thoughts that were running around her head, "-and y-your tired a-and y-y-ou a-are g-going to get m-m-ad at m-me like t-t-they d-did a-and p-punish me or s-send me b-back…" Kara trailed off with a sob at the end.

She found herself unable to hold back all the emotion and panic she could feel building in her chest as the worry of everything that had been happening this week caught up to her.

Kara couldn't get the thought out of her head that she had been bad this week. She had broken her glasses. She had been sent home from school. She had got herself injured. She had changed Eliza's routine. She had changed Alex's too. She had been keeping them both awake when they needed to sleep because of her nightmares. She had been unable to sit through Eliza checking her ribs over for the second day in a row now.

She had done too much, far too much to go unpunished, but the thought of how she was going to be punished terrified her.

"Sweetheart I need you to try and breathe slowly for me," Eliza's voice broke through the panicked thoughts in Kara's mind, "you're safe here Kara," Eliza assured softly, resting her hands gently on Kara's knees.

The contact was too much for Kara to take right now, it caused her to flinch and to cry harder in fear, pushing herself as far back in her chair as she could.

Eliza's eyes widened at the reaction, and she quickly removed her hands, "I'm sorry sweetheart. I wont touch you unless you tell me it's okay to, alright?" Eliza assured her. "Just try to focus on your breathing for me, no one's going to hurt you Kara, I promise you are _not_ in any trouble and _nothing_ is going to happen to you." Eliza continued in a soothing voice, speaking calmly to try and ease Kara's panic.

Kara only cried harder.

She pulled her feet up onto the chair and hugged her legs close to her chest, the action causing Eliza to wince knowing it must be hurting her in the position she was in.

Eliza continued to speak softly and calmly, repeatedly telling Kara that she was safe and that no one was going to hurt her, trying to ease Kara through her panic while not touching her. Kara found that even with the reassurances she couldn't calm her panic, she only continued to cry and shudder, choking back panic filled sobs and taking gasping breaths.

This continued for some time, until eventually Kara calmed her mind, calmed her sobs and calmed her breathing enough to move just slightly, dropping her legs back off the chair slowly and shakily holding her arms out, asking silently to be held.

She watched through blurry eyes, tears still falling, as Eliza stood from her place on the floor and came closer, holding eye contact as she gently took Kara's hands in her own.

"Is it okay for me to touch you Kara? Would you like me to hold you?" Eliza asked with caring eyes, always caring and always checking that she was okay.

It made Kara feel embarrassed for her outburst now, she should have none Eliza would never hurt her. She should have- but it was hard to remember that over her panic when it set in like it had before. It didn't matter how many time Eliza told her that she would never hurt her, Kara couldn't stop the thoughts from invading her mind and making her fearful.

Kara nodded quickly with a whimper, unable to form words.

She wanted to be held, she wanted to feel the comfort of an embrace that was soft and caring. Alex was usually the one she went to when she needed comfort like this, but Alex wasn't here right now- Eliza was.

Eliza was always saying that she wouldn't hurt her, that she was safe.

Kara wanted so badly to trust in her, and slowly she had started to. She was taking a big chance trusting Eliza in this way now, but she desperately wanted to feel safe and the few times that Eliza had held her or hugged her so far Kara had always felt warmth and safety from the embrace.

Her breath hitched slightly as she felt Eliza pull her into a soft embrace, swaying her gently from side to side. Kara could feel Eliza holding her head close to her chest, finding the steady thump of her foster mother's heartbeat a soothing sound to focus on. She could feel Eliza's other hand rubbing slow circles along the top of her back and shoulders soothingly.

Closing her eyes, Kara tried to relax into the soft touches and safety Eliza was offering her, sighing deeply as she felt Eliza drop a kiss to the top of her head.

She was still shuddering and crying softly. Her breaths were still coming out in hitched gasps, but slowly the panic and tightness in her chest was fading as she allowed Eliza to soothe her with gentle hands and quiet whispers.

Kara whimpered squeezing her eyes shut even tighter as she felt Eliza begin to pull away, moving her head to rest against her foster mother more firmly Kara brought her arms up slightly to wrap around Eliza's waist, holding her closer.

She knew she must be confusing Eliza.

She was confusing herself too.

She had gone from not being able to stand any contact, to wanting to be completely wrapped up in the oldest Danvers arms.

"It's okay, sweet girl," Eliza murmured, dropping another kiss to Kara's hairline moving to rub her back again, "I'm not going anywhere. I've got you, you're okay," she continued, "how about we let Alex join in with all the cuddles too, hmm?"

Opening her eyes, Kara slowly turned her head towards the doorway to find Alex leaning against the doorframe a concerned look on her face.

When their eyes met, Alex offered a small smile slowly moving closer.

The next thing Kara knew she was sandwiched between both Eliza and Alex. Usually feeling so trapped and closed in would make her feel dread and panic- but this time it didn't. Feeling Alex pressed against her back, a hand running up and down her one arm while Eliza continued to rub slow circles across her back holding her close and safe made her feel more loved than she had felt in years.

It was the kind of unconditional support and love she hadn't felt since her parents had died and the kind that she desperately needed in this moment.

* * *

Kara smiled and closed her eyes as the sun warmed her face and the sea breeze danced across her skin. She loved this beach, it was so peaceful and so bright. It had been the first place Alex had taken her when she had moved in with the Danvers and quickly became _their_ place.

Alex brought her here when she was pent up, when she was upset and scared. Alex also brought her here to talk, to watch the stars together. They did lots here together.

Any reason to be on the beach in their spot, they took- it relaxed them both.

The spot on the beach that Kara and Alex have labelled as _theirs_ is a spot in amongst the sand dunes and rock. It's the closest spot to Kara's favourite cove where she usually headed off alone to sketch when she needed some time by herself.

This was the first time that Eliza had joined them in going to their spot on the beach.

After Kara had calmed enough and felt safe enough to let go of both Eliza and Alex, her new foster family had worked together to carefully rewrap a fresh bandage around her ribs. Eliza had then given Kara some painkillers upping the dose slightly to counteract the pain she had been in, which Kara took reluctantly. Kara had then gone to get changed and ready herself before they left for the beach as promised earlier.

Eliza wasn't going to come at first, but Kara had nervously asked if she would like to.

The surprised look on Eliza's face scared Kara at first until she noticed that Eliza was smiling happily and agreeing. It was then Kara realised that had been first time she had initiated a conversation with her foster mother, it was also the first time she had asked Eliza a question.

Though she had been nervous and noticeably frightened while doing so, the fact she had was a big step for her and clearly made Eliza very happy that she had trusted her enough to ask.

Kara felt bad for leaving them today, especially after Eliza had only come because she asked her to, but she really wanted to go to the coves. She hadn't gone last night, or the night before and she was wondering if another exchange would have happened in her absence.

For the last few weeks now, Kara had been leaving sketches behind in the cove, and would return the following day to find a hand-written letter of a story of what she had sketched.

The writing was beautiful, and the story was always a happy one.

The first time this happened it had been an accident. Kara had accidently left her sketchpad behind with her first drawing in, and when she had returned for it the next day she had found the first letter. A letter telling a story of a lonely seagull who found a companion in the coves.

It was a beautiful and imaginative story that captured what Kara had sketched wonderfully.

Kara had left another sketch that day, and then when she returned the next day there was another letter, and another story- this continued and slowly turned into a routine.

It was calming, sketching in the peacefulness of the cove. Then, to find that someone could see the same things she could in her art and make that into a story when she returned the next day was humbling and always brought a smile to Kara's face.

So much so that she didn't want to break the cycle.

She hadn't gone to the cove yesterday or the day before, she hadn't picked up the newest story that she was sure would be waiting there for her from Sunday night, and she hadn't left a new sketch for her unknown author to write about. She had a sketch ready, she was planning on leaving the one she had got ready yesterday.

As Kara walked into the cove, she took her sketchpad out of her messenger bag, and began to carefully tear the sketch away from the pad, though as she did so a noise caught her attention.

A scuffling noise that sound like shoes being dragged across the ground.

Looking up quickly, Kara's eyes widened as she realised she wasn't alone in the cove.

Sat against the cove wall, directly next to the rock that Kara leaves her sketches on was a girl.

Looking at the girl Kara knew she wasn't much older than herself. She had long dark brunette hair that fell well past her shoulders. She had pale, light skin that was hidden beneath a black hoodie. As the girl looked up and stared into Kara's eyes she could see the girl had deep green eyes.

They stared at each other for a moment, until Kara began to feel that familiar dread and panic set in, causing her to back away slowly as the girl stood.

"Wait!" The girl said, quickly following Kara and causing her to stop dead in her tracks, her back pressed against the opposite side of the cove to where the girl had been sitting. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," the girl apologised quickly, her voice was soft Kara noted.

Almost soothing.

The girl took another step closer causing Kara to press her back against the wall harder, eyes wide, ready to bolt at any moment, the only reason she hadn't done so already was fear.

She had been told to wait.

When given a direct order like that in previous homes, she had learnt to listen and obey- or suffer the consequences.

Kara was thankful when the girl seemed to notice her discomfort and took a small step back, lowering her hands as she did so, "You're my favourite artist, aren't you?" The girl asked, tilting her head to the side as she looked towards Kara's one hand that was still holding her sketch.

Kara frowned in confusion, which caused the girl to smile, "I'm the one who leaves you these," the girl said, lifting her one hand to show a half-written letter and a pen.

As Kara looked at the letter she noticed it was in the same writing as the stories she had been left, on the same paper, and written in the same ink.

"When you hadn't taken my last letter or left a new sketch I got worried, so I was going to leave you a note," the girl explained.

Kara didn't react to the explanation.

She was still processing the thought that this girl was her author. This girl with eyes as green as summer filled meadow grass was the author who brought to life her sketches.

"-I'll tell you what mine stands for, if you tell me yours," the girl finished with a small teasing smile. The rest of what she had said was lost on Kara, she had completely missed half of what the girl had been saying to her.

As Kara's eyes snapped back up showing more confusion, the girl lifted a questioning eyebrow, "The 'K' you sign your sketches with," she elaborated. "I'll tell you my name, if you tell me yours."

Kara had signed her sketches with a 'K' since she was little. She had seen her mother signing a stack of papers one day in beautifully cursive writing and had asked her to teach her how to sign like that.

She had only been able to learn the 'K', being too young to pick up the rest and make the letters flow into one another.

"K-K-Kara," Kara offered her name, unsure as to why she gave her name so easily.

She wasn't usually trusting with strangers. She had been with Maggie, but that was different. Alex had been with her when she spoke to Maggie. Right now, she was alone with this girl.

This girl who was the author she had been sketching for weeks for.

The girl smiled softly, "Kara?" she asked for confirmation, receiving a nod from Kara, "it suits you," she added with a firm nod before pausing for a moment, "I'm Lena," she introduced, offering her hand.

Lena.

The 'L' the letters had been signed with stood for Lena.

The name sounded almost as beautiful and elegant as her stories did.

* * *

 **AN: Please review and let me know what you think!**


	6. Twenty Questions

**Hi all, thank you so much for the response on the last chapter, please keep reviewing to let me know what you think :)**

 **A/N I now have a beta for this story, Sinca, though please note she has not seen this chapter yet, when she has it will be updated taking out any mistakes I am sure I have missed... sorry about those but I honestly dont always see them because of the dyslexia.**

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 **Trigger Warnings: Talk and references of past child abuse.**

 **Chapter Six-** Twenty Questions.

 _The girl smiled softly, "Kara?" she asked for confirmation, receiving a nod from Kara, "it suits you," she added with a firm nod before pausing for a moment, "I'm Lena," she introduced, offering her hand._

 _Lena._

 _The 'L' the letters had been signed with stood for Lena._

 _The name sounded almost as beautiful and elegant as her stories did._

Kara found herself staring at Lena, unable to look away or move. It wasn't so much that she was afraid right now, more so that she was surprised and partly in awe. She had loved the short stories she had been finding, but to meet her secret author face to face was something she had never imagined happening, now that she had Kara couldn't take her eyes off her.

"So, do you come here often? I mean other than to leave sketches?" Lena asked, moving to sit back against the cove wall once again.

Kara shrugged in response, she did but she wasn't sure if she should talk about that with a stranger. She knew her author's name, but she didn't _know_ her.

Lena smiled in response, leaning back further against the cove wall to get comfortable, "Your sketches are really good, you have a real eye for colour and detail… where did you learn to draw like that? Did someone teach you, or did you just pick it up yourself?" Lena quizzed, with eager eyes.

Kara opened her mouth to respond but found herself freezing up as Lena watched her expectantly, she folded in on herself under the gaze, her arms coming up to hug around her middle.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Lena asked further, tilting her head to the side as she spoke, "You _can_ talk though, you told me your name," she continued, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Which means either I'm making you nervous, or you have trouble with speech, like an impediment? Or both?"

Kara nodded to the questions, she did have an impediment, and she was nervous.

The nerves only made it harder to talk.

Taking a deep breath, Kara coughed lightly trying to clear her throat, "I h-h-have a s-sut-ter," Kara said, struggling to form the words.

Lena nodded, "And here I am talking at you a mile a minute, not even giving you the chance to respond. No wonder you haven't said much," she said with a sigh.

Kara shrugged again in response, "M-m-most p-people do-nt c-c-are ab-b-bout what I h-h-ave to s-s-say anyw-w-way," she admitted.

Again, it was truthful, most people either didn't care or got angry waiting for her to try and form a response. Apart from Alex and Eliza, they didn't. They always listened to her, they were always telling her it was okay to talk and it was okay to ask questions.

"Well that's just stupid," Lena argued, "someone who can draw like this," she continued, holding up the picture Kara had left when she was last in the cove on Sunday, "must have some amazing things to talk about."

Kara looked down to the ground self-consciously, she wasn't used to getting this type of praise for her sketching. She rarely showed off her sketches, always worried about being ridiculed and told to stop wasting her time sketching when there were other things that needed to be done.

The Parry's, her second foster family, hadn't liked her wasting her time sketching. They would always find a chore for her to do when they found her sketching telling her it was pointless even bothering anymore with having to wear glasses. When that didn't work, and she continued to sketch regardless, they then began to punish her for it by locking her in a small dark closet or not allowing her to eat- depending on their mood.

After a while, she had begun to believe the things they had said and feared being left in the closet, so she had stopped sketching.

She hadn't sketched again till she had moved in with the Danvers'.

It was Alex who had brought her the sketch pad and pencils that she now used, Alex who had remembered her love for sketching from the first time they had met in the hospital after her time with the Smith's, and Alex who convinced her it was okay to sketch if she wanted to.

It had taken Kara awhile to feel comfortable with people knowing that she enjoyed sketching again, but eventually she had begun to enjoy it once again and found it relaxing.

Lena, her author, was the first person to see her sketches- she hadn't even shown them to Alex yet.

Hearing Lena move around slightly, Kara glanced up, only to quickly look away again after meeting Lena's eyes.

Kara felt torn, part of her was screaming to run from this girl.

She didn't know her at all and for all she knew Lena could be some sort of serial killer trying to lull her into a false sense of security, Lena might not even be her real name. Then again, that did seem unlikely, and though Kara couldn't explain it, there was something about Lena that seemed to draw her in.

It made her want to be able to talk to her, if only she could control her stutter enough to allow her to do so.

Kara had been so lost in her own thoughts, unsure of whether to stay or run, that she hadn't registered Lena now standing in front of her once again, until a hand moving towards her startled her, making her jump back in surprise with a small squeak like sound.

Lena's eyes widened at the reaction, "Oh god! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you, honestly, I just… here," Lena began, holding a pad and pen out in front of her, "I wanted to give you these, I thought it might be easier for you to write down what you wanted to say?" Lena explained, scratching at the back of her neck with her spare hand.

"Y-You still w-w-want to t-talk to m-m-me?" Kara asked astounded. Usually by now people would stare at her like she was a freak or call her a _**'weirdo'**_ and then leave. "D-Doen-n-n't my s-stutter a-a-annoy y-you?" she asked further.

The Morgan's always got angry with her when she would stutter responses to their questions. They would punish her for it, sometimes more harshly than others, where as the Steven's would punish her for talking at all unless given permission.

It had been confusing to go from one home where talking was punishable, to the hospital where she was constantly told it was safe to speak, then to another home where it was punishable again when she spoke because she couldn't speak properly. She stopped speaking for some time again at the Morgan's until she found they would hurt her even more for not talking than they would for talking poorly.

It wasn't until she was with the Danvers' that Kara felt it was safe to talk and even then it took her a long time to be able to talk to them at all. She could talk with Alex with confidence most of the time now. With Eliza she was slowly getting better too- but still, at times it didn't feel safe. Sometimes she would still feel scared when talking, she would tense up as though waiting to be hit for either speaking to much or not speaking properly.

Lena frowned, "Why would your stutter annoy me?" She asked, shrugging, "You can't help it," Lena stated further. "That's not why I offered you these," she continued, lifting the pad and pen again, "I just thought it might help you, I read somewhere that speech impediments can worsen when a person is nervous, and you seem nervous… I though it might take the edge off a bit," Lena explained trying to catch Kara's gaze.

Kara however was too busy looking at the ground trying to make herself as small a target as possible, finding herself lost in her own thoughts as the voices of her previous foster families were sounding in her mind, telling her she was _**'worthless'**_ and that _**'nobody would waste their time on someone like her'**_ , amongst other things.

"You don't have to though," Lena continued, breaking through the voices in Kara's mind, "you don't have to stay and talk to me either if you want to go- I just, I guess I just wanted to talk to the mind behind these sketches for a while, "Lena continued honestly. "It's been a long time since I've been able to speak to someone that I feel a connection with, and I guess I feel connected to you through your sketches- but if I am making you uncomfortable you don't have to stay."

Slowly Kara looked up from the ground and met Lena's eyes. She was surprised to see no mockery in her eyes, nor anger- only hopefulness and sincerity.

She could tell that Lena was being truthful in what she had just said.

Kara swallowed nervously, before reaching out to grasp the pad and pen being offered to her, her fingers briefly touching Lena's as she did so. "T-Thank y-y-you," Kara said quietly with a small smile, which Lena quickly returned.

Lena laughed, almost nervously, "I honestly didn't think you would stay," she admitted quietly, moving backwards to take a seat against the cove wall once again.

"M-Me n-neither, to b-be h-h-honest," Kara responded softly, still standing near the cove's exit with the pad and pen now in her spare hand.

Kara was still in two minds about staying. Usually she wouldn't even think about talking to someone she had just met, but Lena seemed harmless enough. Alex and Eliza were just outside on the beach if that turned out not to be case and she had her phone on her if she needed it. Kara thought that if she made sure the cove's exit was not blocked so she could escape if she needed to, she would be fine.

She had been fine yesterday when she spoke with Maggie.

Granted, Alex had been with her the whole time- but still, that had worked out well. She needed to learn to trust again, her therapist kept on telling her this, and she was slowly.

She had trusted Alex- and that had turned out to be the best decision she had made in a long time.

She had trusted Eliza this morning when she had asked to be held and hoped not to be hurt for it- which had also turned out well.

Maybe this could too?

Breathing deeply, Kara slowly made her way further into the cove and sat down on the floor, making sure she was close enough to Lena so that they could see each other properly, but also close enough to the exit for if she did need to make a run for it. Kara sat with her back pressed gently up against a rock formation poking up from the floor, messenger bag dropped to her one side.

She shuffled around for a moment trying to get comfortable.

Sometimes hard surfaces could be painful, she still had a lot of healing scars on her thighs, buttocks and back- some she had been told may never heal properly and would probably leave her with nasty scars for the rest of her life.

Sometimes, the scars still caused her some pain. If she moved too quickly and caused the skin to stretch, or if she sat on hard surfaces like she was now, or if she was hit in the areas her scars were, or if she fell on them with force. Any of these could, and had, caused her pain in the past, some more so than others.

One of the worst times was when she had fallen over hard and caused some scars to re-open and bleed through to the jeans she had been wearing.

It had happened at school on her first day, someone had pushed her in the hallway, it was an accident but still she fell hard on her butt. The pain was instant, and she burst into tears unable to move both from the pain and in fear of being punished thanks to the flashback it had caused. The teachers had cleared out the halls until Alex had been able to be tracked down, realising there was nothing else they could do after their attempts to interact with Kara had only made her more fearful. Alex, when she arrived, had been quick to engulf her little sister in a hug when Kara reached out for her after hearing her voice, and had quickly tried to calm Kara with gentle hands and whispered reassurances of safety. Though Kara had felt a lot safer when feeling Alex's arms wrapped around her and hearing the soft words in her ear she had still taken a long time to stop crying and trembling, having gotten worked up when the teachers had attempted to find out what had happened. When she had calmed, and Alex had pulled her to her feet, a teacher had commented about how they would need to call Eliza, so Kara could be taken to the hospital as she was bleeding.

Alex had only known what to do to help Kara calm because the same thing had happened a few times at home. When Kara woke from her nightmares, sometimes she would fall from the bed while still in a panic and hurt herself. The fall would cause for Kara to cry in pain and then in fear of being hurt for crying because she was hurting.

It was an endless cycle of pain, tears and fear that the Danvers' had been trying hard to help her with. It was something they were still trying to help her with now.

Together they had learnt the best way to help Kara through her pain was to give her something or someone to hold onto until it subsided enough and any pain killers that may have been needed had kicked in. They had also learnt that the best way to help Kara with her fear was to be calm and patient with her. To only hold her if she instigated it and to be gentle and slow when they did. Calm soothing tones and gentle hands were always best, speaking too loudly or moving too fast would only make her fear worse.

Though the pain was less than what it used to be, it did still at times hurt, and that did still cause a response of fear from Kara- but she was a lot quicker to calm now than what she had been when she first came to live with the Danvers'.

Right now, it was more uncomfortable than anything else, there was a slight sting from the pressure but nothing that she couldn't handle- she _had_ handled a lot worse.

"Here," Lena said softly, holding a rolled-up sleeping bag out, "you look uncomfortable, you can use this as a cushion, I don't mind."

Kara looked up in confusion.

She was confused at how Lena had been able to tell, she had been trying to sit as still as possible and not grimace at the discomfort.

She was also confused as to why Lena had a sleeping bag with her to begin with.

Grasping the sleeping bag in one hand, Kara smiled in thanks as she took it and let out a sigh as she sat on it, feeling the discomfort and sting fade away quickly.

Lena raised an eyebrow at the sigh, "You got a bad bruise or something?"

"S-Somet-t-thing like t-t-that," Kara muttered, shuffling a little more to get comfortable, "w-why d-do you h-have a s-s-sleeping b-bag?" Kara asked after a moment.

It took a moment for her mind to catch up with what she had just asked. Her eyes widened in alarm as her mind did catch up with what she had just asked, "S-S-Sorry I-I-" Kara stuttered out nervously feeling herself tense.

Alex and Eliza always told her it was okay to ask questions, but she didn't know Lena- it might not be okay to ask her questions. Kara began to fiddle with her sweater's sleeves, finding herself growing nervous, her eyes quickly returning to the ground as she found herself unable to talk.

"It's okay," Lena assured quickly, her eyebrows furrowing in concern at Kara's actions, "It's a fair question," she stated. "How about we play twenty questions?" Lena asked.

Kara looked at Lena in confusion, not understanding. She had never played twenty questions before, and honestly the idea sounded a bit unnerving.

What if she got them wrong? Would Lena hurt her like others had in the past?

Noticing the confused expression on Kara's face Lena shuffled a little bit closer, "Have you never played before?" She asked, receiving a timid head shake in response, "That's okay, it's a good way to get to know someone. Basically, I ask you a question; for example, if I were to ask you what your favourite colour is, you would answer?" Lena asked, looking to Kara with questioning eyes.

"G-G-Green," Kara answered softly.

Lena smiled, "Green is nice, mine's blue," she responded, "Now its your turn to ask, or write if you prefer," Lena offered with a small smile. "It keeps going like that until we have both asked twenty questions each. You can ask anything you want, but only if you are willing to answer it yourself, and if you don't want to answer any questions then you can pass," she explained. "Your turn," Lena finished, motioning towards Kara with a small smile.

Kara nodded, thinking for a moment before taking the cap off the pen and flipping the pad open to a blank page before beginning to write her first question.

* * *

"Well, that went better than expected," Maggie commented as she left the classroom behind Alex, her hands holding onto her backpack straps that were over her shoulders, "I think he actually smiled at us."

They had just finished the last period of the day and had completed their presentation for Snapper's class, which Maggie felt went rather well. They had kept the class entertained and Snapper had actually stayed awake through their presentation, rather than sleeping like he had through the two pairs beforehand.

That had to be a win, right?

Alex laughed at that before pausing and turning around, "That, or he had gas," she commented earning a laugh from Maggie.

Alex turned at continued to make her way down the corridor towards her locker, Maggie still in step, just slight behind her. As they reached the locker, Alex moved her bag from her shoulder and opened it. Turning the combination in the locker she opened the metal door as Maggie leaned up against a locker near, watching as Alex took some books out of her bag and replaced them with some other books from her locker.

Maggie continued to watch for a moment, weighing up her options.

She liked Alex a lot, she felt like she could be good friends with her, and maybe even Kara too as the younger girl did seem sweet. She had been toying with the idea of asking Alex if she wanted to do something and was wondering if she should ask now, or if it was too soon.

She didn't want to come across too eager and ruin any chances of friendship.

Closing the locker door, Alex turned to face Maggie, "I meant to ask you before, but forgot- we're having a game night at my place tonight, usually James and Lucy come over around seven for it and I was wondering if you wanted to come too?" Alex asked, beating Maggie to it, "It would be five of us in total, which I know is a odd number, but it could be fun. Changes up the usual teams a bit, and we can all get to know each other a bit more."

Maggie paused, taking a moment to think. It did sound fun, though she wasn't particularly good at games in general it would give her a chance to get to know everyone a bit better- especially Alex.

"I- um, sure. Sounds fun," Maggie answered, trying to act cool, though finding it hard to hide the smile on her face, "did you want to maybe grab a bite first, then I could drive you home and stay for game night if that's still okay?" Maggie asked further.

Alex winced, "I can't, not tonight anyway," she said apologetically. "I promised my Mom and Kara I would be back for dinner. Kara had a rough night, and morning too, I want to check in with her before game night," Alex explained, "but, I could ask Mom if you could eat with us, if you wanted? I mean, she did want to cook you that thank 'you dinner'. We could watch a movie after, before the others arrive." Alex counter offered.

Maggie felt her shoulders sag a little, it wasn't a rejection as such- Alex did have a valid reason. Still it did nothing for her pride even though she only asked in a friendly way.

Though, Alex had offered for her to come to dinner with the family, that was something.

"Oh- okay, yeah of course," Maggie replied, hitching her backpack up higher as Alex swung her own over her shoulder. "Dinner sounds cool, but are you sure that would be okay?" She asked.

Alex followed Maggie down the hallway, moving around to walk beside her, "I'd need to check with Mom to make sure, but shouldn't be a problem," Alex assured.

"That's good, but I meant for Kara?" Maggie asked, "I mean, you said she had a rough time, will she be okay with me being around? Me being there won't, I don't know, overwhelm her or anything?"

It was a valid question, Maggie could tell the younger girl had been nervous around her yesterday after she had that nightmare. The last thing she wanted to do was make the girl feel more nervous in her own home after a rough day. Especially when she knew that Alex used the word _rough_ when she really meant _terrible_.

Alex smiled at Maggie's concern, "Honestly, I think it will be good for her, I'm still amazed that she even spoke to you last night. I think she feels comfortable around you, it took her three months just to say 'hi' to Lucy," Alex said with a small laugh.

Maggie smirked, "Well Lucy does seem to have a motor mouth, Kara probably found it hard to get a word in," she joked.

The joke was partially true, Lucy talked a lot and she was fast while doing so. Maggie had found that out when she had lunch with her on her first day of school, and today as well. Lucy seemed nice, but she could definitely talk.

Alex laughed, "True, but I mean it- she seems comfortable with you, so I'm sure she will be fine, but it's good that you care," Alex responded, stopping in the hallway and turning to face Maggie, looking at her with a serious expression. "Really- thank you for that, not a lot of people do," Alex continued, before starting to walk again.

Maggie could sense there was a story there, more than the little bits of information Alex had given her so far, but not wanting to push, Maggie only smiled in response dropping the issue for now as she followed Alex down the hallway, catching up with her and walking besides her once again.

Maggie nodded, "I like Kara, she seems like a great kid, I want to get to know her better, and you- if you'll both have me Danvers."

"I think we can give you a trial, we'll see what you are like at game night first though," Alex responded with a wink as they left the school.

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 **AN: Please review? Let me know what you think, pretty please?**


	7. The Runaway

Hi everyone, I'm really sorry it took me a while to update again, had a lot going on here but that's no excuse. I hope this update makes up for it. Thank you to everyone who is reading and leaving me reviews, please keep doing so it really is amazing to hear from you all.

Massive thank you and shout out to my beta **_Sinca_** , who has edited this chapter for me and is a great help and friend :)

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 **Trigger Warnings: References of past physical and emotional child abuse. Signs of PTSD. Reference and scenes of homelessness**

 **Chapter Seven-** The Runaway

"Mom?" Alex called out as she entered the house, Maggie trailing behind her, "Kara? You home?"

They had called Eliza before leaving school to check it was alright for Maggie to come to dinner and had received an enthusiastic yes since Eliza still wanted to thank the new girl for all she had done for Kara. Eliza had told Alex that she would need to go shopping to get some food in order to make dinner for the four of them, but that Kara was currently sleeping. She didn't want to leave Kara asleep, so couldn't get groceries yet. Alex had offered that she and Maggie could run errands instead, but Eliza assured them it was fine and that she would pick up the food later.

During the car ride home Alex had explained to Maggie how Kara had a rough night and her ribs had been hurting her this morning, she had spoken about how the lack of sleep and pain from the injury had caused Kara to relive some nasty memories and made her upset in the morning. Alex didn't go into details, it wasn't her place, but she did provide a few basics to Maggie and explained how certain situations and actions can trigger panic attacks and how Alex was the only one who could calm her when Kara had one of her more severe episodes.

Maggie had been quiet the whole time Alex spoke, concentrating on driving and only asking questions occasionally, but Alex could tell Maggie was listening intently when she noticed the other girl's hands tighten on the steering wheel when they broached the subject of how people pointing out Kara's scars can cause panic attacks.

Whether that was from the mere mention of the scars or the fact that Maggie herself thought she may have made Kara's panic worse last night Alex didn't know, but she did find it incredible sweet that Maggie seemed to actually care. Even though Alex didn't know Maggie that well she was starting to see that Maggie did care, she didn't pity like others, she wasn't trying to find out information just to use it as mocking material later on, she cared about Alex and Kara- and honestly that was rare.

Upon calling for Eliza and Kara, Alex furrowed her brows after hearing what sounded like a 'shush' coming from the living room, slowly she made her way through with a frown on her face, her eyes widening as she entered the room to see Eliza sat on the couch with Kara asleep next to her, the young blonde's head resting on a cushion over Eliza's lap.

Eliza offered her a small smile before continuing to stroke Kara's hair, as Alex watched from a distance, finding herself unable to keep the small smile form gracing her face at the sight.

Kara had come a long way in the last few weeks especially.

When she had first moved in she struggled with Eliza being too close to her, and any sort of touch would frighten her- to see her so openly vulnerable and close to her mother now showed just how much improvement and how much more secure she was starting to feel in her surroundings.

Something which Alex was grateful for.

She loved having Kara with them, she loved having Kara as her little sister and would do what she could to protect her always, but she would be lying if she said it was not tiring being the only one that could calm her when she was frightened.

She knew it wasn't Kara's fault and she definitely did not blame her for it, but it gave her peace of mind to know that Kara was starting to feel more secure with her mother now as well.

She would feel less bad about taking time for herself on occasion and she no longer had to worry as much if she had to leave Kara at home while she went to school.

"Sorry," Alex apologised quickly for yelling as she had come in, realising now it probably was not a good idea as her mother had already told her that Kara might be asleep still. "How is she feeling now?" Alex asked dropping her school bag to the floor and ushering Maggie in to the living room with her.

Maggie waved a hello, smiling awkwardly as she leaned against the wall. Turning her head Alex offered her a friendly smile, feeling bad for making her new friend feel awkward.

Eliza smiled in greeting to Maggie, "Hi Maggie, its nice you could join us tonight," she said before turning her attention back to Alex, "better, I think. She's been more settled today, I think taking her to the beach helped this morning," Eliza theorised. "Will you be okay to keep an eye on her while I go and get some groceries?" Eliza asked, waiting until Alex nodded before carefully easing out from underneath her foster daughter, being mindful not to move her too quickly.

Kara whined in her a sleep a little bit at the movement as the cushion her head was on was lifted and carefully placed back down on the couch but otherwise did not make any indication that she had woken from the movements. Instead she only released a sleepy sigh before stretching out a little bit and cuddling further against the back of the couch.

Eliza smiled softly, pulling the blue blanket up further to cover Kara better before leaving for the kitchen as Alex turned to Maggie again.

"So, how are you at video games?" Alex asked, moving over to tv unit to take out a Wii remote control, "Fancy practicing some Mario Kart for later, we usually play that at some point in the evening," she suggested, glancing back over her shoulder as she spoke.

Making her way over to the other couch in the room Maggie took a seat on the edge, "Sure, can't hurt to practice for destroying you later, Danvers," she replied confidently.

Alex let out a single loud laugh before she smirked, "You may end up eating your words Sawyer," she teased back confidently, emphasising Maggie's last name, "No one has beat me at Mario Kart in years."

"I-I did l-last w-w-eek," Kara spoke up quietly from the couch, her eyes now open and blinking around the room tiredly, Alex's loud burst of laughter having woken her.

Turning in surprise Alex chuckled at the state of Kara's bed hair, raising an eyebrow in response, "Maybe I let you win," Alex countered offering Kara a controller to see if she wanted to play as well.

Kara nodded lightly in response, running a hand through her messy hair as she yawned into her other hand tiredly. "You a-almost b-broke the c-c-ontroller, it h-has a s-scratch from hit-ting t-he w-wall," Kara pointed out, motioning to the controller Alex was holding.

Seeing the mark Kara was motioning towards Maggie burst out laughing loudly causing Alex to flush with embarrassment and for Kara to flinch at the sound, having not realised Maggie was in the room with them.

"S-sorry, w-was I n-n-ot m-meant to t-t-tell a-anyone" Kara apologised quickly, worry evident in her voice as she looked down at the ground. Kara's shoulders tensed slightly while she sat up carefully, pulling the blue blanket with her. "I-I d-didn't mean t-t-to," Kara stuttered quietly, keeping her eyes to the floor.

Alex frowned, she may be embarrassed but that wasn't Kara's fault and she certainly did not want Kara to be fearful of joining in conversations and joking with her like she had just been doing.

Kara hadn't done anything wrong.

Even though it was clear she thought that she had from the way she was acting now, Alex felt it was important that Kara knew that Alex wasn't angry. She desperately wanted Kara to know it was okay to join in with jokes, and it was okay to point things like that out.

Walking briskly, Alex made her way around to the couch with the three controllers they would need to play with. Quickly depositing the controllers on the coffee table, Alex sat down next to Kara and quickly pulled her sister in for a hug after making sure Kara had seen her.

She knew pulling Kara into a hug too quickly before she had time to process who was touching her would only frighten her little sister; it was always important to make eye contact with her first, so Kara knew what was going to happen. "Don't be sorry, you haven't done anything wrong," Alex whispered quietly into Kara's hair, trying to keep her voice reassuring as she rubbed a hand soothingly along Kara's back.

Alex smiled sadly as she felt Kara take a shuddery breath before relaxing against her and bringing one of her own arms up to wrap around Alex's waist, returning the embrace slowly.

Kara was still getting used to this kind of contact again.

When she had first moved in and Alex had gone to hug her after a nightmare it had only worsened Kara's fear and made her almost catatonic.

It had taken time and patience for Kara to get used to being touched in a way that didn't bring her pain and fear, and Alex knew she was still coming to terms with that.

Alex had learnt not be hurt by the fact her sister would sometimes flinch and tense at first when she tried to hold her, she had learnt the little tells that Kara had when she was not okay with being touched. The way her heart rate would noticeably increase, and she would stop breathing at first if she was unprepared for contact, but also the way she would slowly relax into and melt against Alex's side if she did want to be held but had just been startled at first.

Alex was proud of herself for being able to quickly learn how to read Kara's body language in a way that allowed her to give her sister what she needed without Kara having to speak. It had come in very handy, especially as at first Kara had been so afraid to speak that doing so would bring on the most terrifying of panic attacks for Alex to witness.

The type of fear she would see in Kara's eyes during those times was like nothing she had ever witnessed, nothing that had been portrayed in any TV show or movie, nothing she had seen described in any book.

It was primal.

As though the fear had been engrained into her so deeply it was the only response that she knew.

The first panic attack Alex had witnessed she truly thought Kara would not come back from. She had been so scared and shaking so hard that Alex thought she might snap herself in half with the force and toll it was taking upon her body. Her sobs had been shattering and the breaths she had been trying to take had sounding more like gasping wheezes for air.

All this was brought on purely by the fact Alex had asked Kara a question and she had answered it, talking for the first time since moving in with them and stuttering nervously through her reply before her eyes widened in fear and she began to panic. Alex couldn't even begin to imagine the fear that Kara must have felt and the pain she must have been through to bring on such a reaction to doing something that to Alex herself thought was as simple as breathing.

She doubted anyone could, unless they too had been in a similar situation.

While most people did try and be understanding, a lot were more patronising and pitying than necessary and some would only make Kara's fears worse with their ways of trying to 'help'.

Like one of Kara's teachers who thought the best way to make Kara comfortable with speaking was to ask the whole class to be quiet as she attempted to speak. Placing Kara directly in the spotlight and making her even more nervous as she noticed the entire class watching her waiting to hear what she had to say. Needless to say, it did not help- and did not end well when this had happened to Kara on her second day back to school after the incident that had happened in the hallways resulting in Kara being taken to hospital once more.

Kara had a panic attack in the middle of her French class, the teacher had no idea what to do and, in the end, it was one of the students in the class, a kind boy named Winn Schott that had taken it upon himself to leave the classroom and head to Ms. Grant's office to alert her of the situation. Ms. Grant had collected Alex from her own class and escorted her to the room, promptly clearing the room out after seeing the severity of the panic attack Kara was suffering from, leaving only herself and Alex to calm her.

It had been the first time that Alex had been able to engulf Kara in a hug without the younger girl flinching, at the time Alex thought it may have been because her little sister was far too gone in her panic to realise that Alex was holding her. However, she later realised it wasn't. Kara hadn't flinched because she was slowly beginning to trust that with Alex being touched did not equal pain.

And that was something that couldn't have made Alex happier.

Since that day the two sisters had become a lot closer, Alex had trusted her instincts with how to comfort Kara a lot more and in return Kara had slowly began to trust her a lot more, even asking to be held at times when she became fearful- something, which for Kara, was a big deal.

Being willing and able to accept physical contact and comfort from another person was one thing, but seeking it out, was a different thing entirely.

"Little Danvers just ratted you out big style there," Maggie joked with a small laugh, "so, you're not the big tough Mario Kart player you were trying to take out, hmm?" Maggie continued, trying to remove some on the unease from the room after noticing how Alex seemed worried and Kara seemed almost nervous.

Alex dropped a soft kiss to Kara's hairline, before looking over her shoulder and smirking, "I'm still good enough to beat you, but Kara may be better than even I am which I swear is just luck on her part," Alex responded, winking at Kara as she pulled back from the embrace.

Maggie laughed, "Or maybe she is really just better than you are?" she joked, earning a scoff from Alex and a tiny smile from Kara, who looked over in Maggie's direction briefly before looking away to adjust her glasses.

"Get over here Sawyer," Alex emphasised, "the controllers work better from this side of the room, we have a wheel if you want it but me and Kara tend to use the controllers and nunchuks," Alex explained while moving around on the couch to sit in the middle beside Kara to make room for Maggie to join them.

Noticing Kara moving in the corner of her eye, Alex reached a hand out and gently took her little sisters hand, pulling her carefully to lean back into the couch and against her side.

She knew what Kara had been trying to do without having to ask.

Kara would at times get nervous when guests game over, she would resort to going back to what she believed to be her place which was on the floor.

It had taken both Alex and Eliza a long time to convince Kara she was allowed to sit on the couch and sleep in her bed. She had gone a long way and was mostly comfortable enough to do so now, but still at times when they had company over she would resort back to what she was used to and attempt to sit on the floor again thinking it was where she belonged.

Turning her head to the side Alex searched for Kara's eyes with her own only to find that Kara was still looking to the floor and fidgeting with a scrap of cotton in her jeans in her free hand.

Carefully Alex reached out, taking Kara's hand in her own to stop her fidgeting, "It's okay Kar," she assured, "you can stay here, there's room for all of us."

Kara took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before relaxing her tense shoulders and shuffling slightly to lean into her sister's side.

Alex couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face as Kara leaned her head gently against her arm, cuddling up close to her side. Hearing an 'aw' like sound she looked up for a moment to see Maggie making her way over the couch with a big smile on her face. Rolling her eyes Alex rested her head against Kara's, taking the controllers that Maggie passed to her as she sat on the couch beside her before passing one over to Kara.

"Let's see what you got then, Danvers, little Danvers."

* * *

Lena smiled as she folded over the torn-out pages from her notebook, this was by far the longest short story she had written for her artist- for Kara.

She hoped that Kara enjoyed the story as much as she had enjoyed writing it, the sketch Kara had given her this morning had been an interesting one. It was beautiful like always, but it showed a darkness to it that Lena had only seen glimpses of in other sketches.

The darkness in the sketches held a story of its own she was sure of it- but she didn't want to ask, it wasn't her place to push for answers when she had only just met her artist.

Meeting Kara had been an interesting and enlightening experience.

Kara was not what she would have imagined her artist would have been like. When she looked at the sketches she had imagined someone much older, wiser with life knowledge. Yet Kara was young, though at the same time seemed a lot more mature and older than most her age.

Kara was younger than even Lena herself, she had found that out during their game of twenty questions. The game was quite telling actually, it gave Lena a good insight into who Kara was as a person. Kara was kind, she was smarter than most would think, she was intuitive yet also respectful, and she was also quiet.

Very quiet.

That much was obvious from when they first met, and Lena thought that even if Kara didn't have a speech impediment she may have still been quiet.

She seemed like the type of person who preferred to sit back and view the scene rather than take part in it herself. Whether that was due to past experiences making her feel it was safer to do so Lena didn't know, but she found herself wanting to know, which in itself was not something she was used to.

Lena had given up on getting to know the people around her a long time ago.

For too long now she had been forgotten and ignored, seen as an inconvenience rather than a person. After time, it just became easier to not care anymore.

It hurt less that way.

She could not be made to feel irrelevant if the people trying to make her feel that way were no longer relevant to her. Or at least, that was what she told herself

Honestly, even though she tried not to care, deep down she did.

She wanted what others had, she wanted a family, friendship, love. She wanted to feel needed. She wanted someone she could count on and trust, and she wanted to be that for someone else too.

She wanted to matter.

Writing these stories, as small a thing as they were, made her feel as though she mattered. Mattered enough that her artist wanted to keep sketching for her. Mattered enough that someone out there was happy to listen to what she was saying and not just dismiss her as a mere child.

A nuisance.

The bastard daughter created through infidelity.

That's how her mother saw her. Not that she was her real mother. Lillian saw her as a pawn to get what she had wanted from her late husband. Her late husband who had Lena through an affair with one of the house maids. The problem was, now that her father was gone, Lillian had no use for her.

She had her money, she had her power, and she had her son. Her golden boy, Lex- who in Lena's opinion was turning crazier by the day.

Lena loved her brother, but she could see how he was changing.

He was becoming mad with power, with money, just like Lillian. And why wouldn't he? She had been grooming him to be like her his whole life, she had tried to do the same with Lena at first but when Lena questioned her too often she instead became angry.

Lillian's anger was something that caused Lena to shudder even at the mere thought of it. Lillian wasn't violent when she was angry- that's one thing Lena was thankful for.

She had never had a hand raised against her in anger.

No, Lillian was more passive aggressive with her anger, she went for the emotional wounds instead.

She constantly pulled and poked at Lena's desire for a loving family, teased her with finally having the acceptance she had wished for since moving in with the Luthor's at the age of four- then she would rip it all away and leave a giant black hole in Lena's heart.

She would throw insults at Lena for anything and everything she could. The way she dressed, the way she held her knife and fork, the way she sat in her chair.

Lena wasn't Luthor enough for her.

The funny thing is though, Lena was more Luthor than she would ever be. Maybe not by heart and by the cruelty that the name has come to be associated with- but by blood, Lena was a Luthor, or at least a half Luthor.

That was something that Lillian hated. She hated that Lena had more of a claim to the Luthor name, the Luthor estate and money than what she did, she had been trying for months to get Lena to sign everything over to her like she had already done so with Lex- who was too gone with madness to realise he had just signed over his inheritance.

Lena had refused, and Lillian had made her life a living hell for it.

Until one day Lena had enough.

After leaving school she had gone to the bank and withdrawn the last of the allowance money that had been going into her account for weeks, which she had also slowly been withdrawing. She had been taking enough to lower the amount of money in the account but not enough to draw suspicion- and with the money in hand, a small bag of clothes over her shoulder Lena had left.

Yes, Lillian had money, and she had power, but she only had that power while Lena was under control, and if Lena wasn't there she couldn't control her, and she certainly couldn't get her to sign over the rest of her inheritance.

As she walked out from the cove and onto the beach Lena shivered in the cool ocean air, tugging her coat tighter around her shoulders as she looked up at the houses before her with a thoughtful expression on her face.

Kara had told her she lived near the beach, she wondered if right now Kara was in one of the houses before her.

Safe and warm.

She hoped she was, Kara seemed like a sweet girl, a kind girl- one that shouldn't be out in the cold on a night like this. Lena knew she shouldn't be either, but she had chosen this, and until she was sixteen and she could legally make herself independent from Lillian, she would have to live this way.

She couldn't and wouldn't go back there.

She wasn't naive enough to believe that Lillian wouldn't be looking for her, after all she had something Lillian wanted. She did however hope that this small town could hide her for long enough until she was able to get herself completely out of Lillian's clutches.

For all intents and purposes, Lena Luthor was a runaway.

* * *

 **AN: Please leave me a review to let me know what you thought of the chapter :)**


	8. The Darkness

**AN:** Hi everyone *hides behind cushion* I'm so sorry for being gone for so long, I have no excuse really, just that this summer has been hell really, had a lot happen, some good, a lot not so much.

Thank you to all who have been reading and leaving me comments, I really like to hear what you think, so if any of you are still reading please let me know what you think of this latest chapter.

Please note that a lot of this chapter is in Kara's POV, and with that come some heavy scenes and heavy warnings, please make sure you read those before the chapter.

Massive shout out and thank you to my best friend, honorary big sister _**Sinca**_ who has edited this chapter for me and is my beta for this story, your awesome, thank you!

* * *

 **Trigger Warnings: References of child abuse, PTSD, Night terrors, Loss of loved ones.**

 **Chapter Eight-** The Darkness.

Darkness surrounded her.

Cold, breathless darkness that seemed to dampen all it touched.

A darkness that brought dread to her heart and fear to her soul, it felt like it was touching her inside and out and surrounding her in its freezing, black, veil.

And there was nothing she could do to stop it.

This darkness, this emptiness, it consumed her. Like no warm could touch her. As though she couldn't and wouldn't ever feel the warmth of an embrace from someone she trusted and knew cared about her ever again. The blanket that she had felt on her back just moments before now felt as though it had melted into the darkness only to suffocate her more.

As she strained her ears she could hear voices- not just any voices but their voices calling out to her.

Berating her.

Degrading her.

Taunting her with what was to come, one phrase drawing her attention more than the rest.

One word.

A word she never wanted to hear again.

It was in this moment she knew what this was. She knew in her mind this wasn't real right now, it couldn't be. Not again anyway.

She had already lived this.

This was a memory, nothing more than a nightmare. Her mind playing tricks on her and forcing her to remember something she was trying so badly to bury as deep as possible and forget.

But her mind forced her to remember.

The further she tried to push it down and the more she tried to bury it, the more it would surface and the worse it would make that feeling of surrounding darkness. Sometimes it felt like the darkness came from inside and was just seeping outward.

Right now, she didn't have time to think of that. They were coming.

She could hear them approaching, coming for her. She needed to run before they could reach her and hurt her, but she found she was frozen on the spot.

Her mind was screaming at her to do one thing, but her body was doing something else completely different. It was that fight or flight thing she had learnt about in science.

The adrenaline was coursing through her veins making the hairs on the back of her neck feel as though they were standing up on edge and being touched by the darkness. As hard as she tried she found she just could not succeed in her attempts to move away from this approaching threat, from the darkness at all.

When light suddenly flooded the room, she thought the silent prayers that she had reciting in the back of her mind had been answered- until she saw what the light brought with it.

They were here.

As she saw her tormenters standing there, tall in the open door atop the stairs, she knew in the pit of her stomach that this was going to be bad.

This was it, and there was nothing she could do to escape this horror now.

She was going to have to live through it again, and with that thought- even though in the back of her mind she still knew that this was in the past- all those feelings came flooding to the forefront of her mind again and she felt just like she did back then.

It felt like she was stuck completely in that moment and she had no one there to help her.

As she watched her tormenters slowly descend the old wooden stair case, making each stair creak as though it was hissing at her, she began to tremble and shiver. The creaking sounds from the steps causing her to flinch and whimper as she knew what was going to happen when her tormenters reached her. The same thing that always happened. Things which she was powerless to stop with no real way of protecting herself. She wasn't weak by any means, but she was small and compared to them she did not have the power to stop them. Nor did she have proper use of her voice to make them leave with her speech impendent.

In that moment she felt nothing but complete and utter despair as she knew only one thing.

She was completely alone.

She was alone, and no one could help.

Not Alex. Not Eliza. No one.

No one could save her, but that didn't mean she couldn't try herself.

She was Kara Zorel- her mother had always said she could do anything if she put her mind to it, and that was just what she needed to do now. She needed help, and if help wasn't going to come to her she would have to find a way to make it. She may not always be able to speak properly but that didn't mean she couldn't try, that didn't mean she could use what little strength she had to at least try and defend herself now the way she should have done before.

With that thought in her mind she could feel her whole-body zap with energy.

It was as though with that one thought she had been able to send a shockwave through the muscles in her body and snap them back into action once again.

Shooting up quickly into a defensive position on the floor, Kara could feel the scream in her chest passing through her lips and tearing out of her already sore throat. She could feel it, but she couldn't register that it was happening. Nor could she register at first the fact that the room had suddenly become that much brighter and that much warmer, at least not until she realised that the loud high-pitched sound that was ringing through her ears was her own screaming. Not until with the extra light that was in the room now could she see that this was not the dark and damp basement she had been in just moments before. Not until she could see not just one but multiple blurred beings moving around the room.

At first, she was relieved, then, the fear and panic set in once more.

She was so relieved that she was out of the hell she had just been stuck in, until the thought occured to her that now there were even more tormenters.

Now there were multiple shadows and more people that could hurt her.

What was worse, was that they were all moving towards her quickly, and speaking over the top of one another. The sounds and the movement too quick and too loud making her feel her heart hammer in her chest and for her eyes to widen in fright even though she couldn't see any more than she could beforehand by doing this.

She couldn't stop herself from screaming even though her throat was beginning to feel raw.

She could feel tears streaming down her cheeks and could feel her chest heaving up and down as she struggled to breathe but she could do nothing to stop it as she felt like she was frozen on the spot once more and could not move.

It wasn't until Kara felt a hand on her shoulder, gripping softly, that she could move.

Still then it was only her body's reaction to the touch and not the reaction her mind was screaming at her to make. In that moment Kara knew the person touching her was most probably Alex, and she wanted desperately to turn and hide against her sister, but her body had its own idea.

Instead of holding on tightly to the person who was trying to pull her from her fear she jumped. Practically leaped. Moving as far away from the touch as possible.

Even though she knew who it was she was still scared.

In her mind she knew they could cause her no harm, but stuck and frozen in this fear the way she was, stuck in the remnants of the memory she had clearly been dreaming about, to Kara the person touching her could only offer her one thing.

More pain. More fear.

Right now, their touch felt as though it was burning her skin, and she needed to get as far away from it as possible. Human contact, touch of any kind was something she could not handle when this frightened, no matter how much she wanted to be able to.

She couldn't handle any sort of touch even though she knew deep down it was most probably what she needed to feel grounded.

To stop screaming and to stop crying.

To feel as though she was safe and to have something to hold on to, so she could anchor her mind to the present and push those memories back as far away from the forefront of her mind as possible.

In her mind she knew this, but still, to her adrenaline lead, confused, and frightened body she couldn't register that the person who had been touching was not trying to hurt her. Kara just hoped they knew it was nothing personal, not really, and she hoped they would not be angry with her for this reaction that she could not control.

As much as she couldn't handle touch right now, she also didn't want to be alone.

Being alone would allow them to find her again and hurt her.

Kara could feel her ribs burning with the exertion she was causing her body as she took large shuddering breaths in and out, trying calm her terrified heart and mind. The light surrounding her was both bright and warm yet overpowering and frightening at the same time. It felt so different to the light that had been in her mind moments before but also too eerily similar at the same time and was far too confusing to deal with right now.

All she knew is that she felt scared and panicked.

Recently when she had felt that way she would seek out the solace that Alex's arms brought her, but right now she doubted they would have the same effect if her reaction to just a simple touch on the shoulder was anything to go by.

The one, tiny, plus side of that reaction though was that it helped her begin to slowly pull out of the frozen state she had fallen into. It allowed her mind to catch up slowly with where she was even though on the outside it must have looked like she had no idea as to what was going on around her. Slowly she was managing to quieten her screams to whimpers and sobs. Slowly she was able to drag her legs up from the floor, to bring her knees to her chest and curl in on herself hiding herself away from the eyes she could feel upon her.

Even though she was not frozen as such she still couldn't reply to the sounds and whisperers she could hear around her. She could hear Lucy's concern, she could hear James muttering from somewhere in the room and could feel both Eliza and Alex kneeling and sitting next to her on the floor where she had shot up like a rocket after awaking from the nightmare she had been stuck in.

Not that it felt like she was awake yet at all.

With how blurred her vision was through her tears Kara assumed her glasses must have been off due to the fact she couldn't make out the shapes of the people in front of her that well.

The blurs all merged together into one terrifying being.

The same person from her nightmares that had been taunting her and hurting her for weeks.

She knew she was being irrational but right now, after such a nightmare and with that memory still leaking though to her conscious mind she did not feel safe at all. It felt like her skin was crawling and her muscles were on fire with exertion of trying to keep herself looking as small and irrelevant as possible.

Trying to make herself less of target.

The hands that were reaching out to touch her from both Eliza and Alex were making her flinch in a way that was jarring to her already tight and coiled body, no doubt making the ache in muscles that she would feel for some time after this nightmare that much worse.

She desperately wanted their comfort but at the same time could not even begin to think of possibly stomaching any sort of human contact, or touch.

As to Kara, in this moment touch meant only one thing.

Touch meant pain.

Suffocating, fire-like, electrifying, searing pain.

She couldn't explain it to them even if she had any idea of what to say. She was in far too much of a state to form any coherent speech and she seriously doubted she could get the words out properly right now through her gasping breathes and her sobs. The only sounds she could get out were the whimpers and broken murmurs of her attempts at speaking.

It felt like hours to Kara but could have only been mere minutes until she heard Lucy, James and Maggie saying their goodbyes, the idea of leaving being first brought up by Maggie she was almost certain of, and the sounds of the door opening and closing.

Only mere minutes of Alex sat next to her, close but not touching. Talking to her quietly about anything and everything, trying to give her something to ground herself with.

Trying to give her any sense of security and safety, both of which she desperately needed.

* * *

"Alex," Eliza called from the kitchen doorway, being careful to keep her voice as quiet as possible so not to wake her foster daughter.

It had taken a long time for Kara to calm enough to be able to fall back to sleep after the nightmare she had earlier. Eventually though, a combination of sheer exhaustion and the effects of the painkillers Kara had been taking for her sore and bruised ribs had eased her off to sleep again.

That was over an hour ago.

As Eliza busied herself with tidying up what was left from dinner earlier and the snacks from game night, Alex had not left Kara's side. Opting to sit on the floor in front of her sister who was now fast asleep on the couch.

They had attempted to coax Kara upstairs to her bed but had little luck. Nor had they had much luck in their attempts to comfort the fourteen-year-old with any kind of touch.

It seemed no matter how gently they tried to initiate any contact it only had the same result as earlier and would throw Kara back into a panic once more. Alex had been left with no other way to calm her than speaking softly and quietly as she tried her hardest to reassure Kara that she was safe now and whatever she had been seeing in her nightmare would not happen here. Ever. While Eliza had been left not knowing what to do and how to help in this situation.

Now that Kara was asleep though, Eliza could see that Alex was carefully and gently running a hand up and down Kara's one arm as she slept seemingly peacefully on the couch. Keeping the contact light and soothing while watching the younger teens face for any sign of panic or discomfort.

Eliza was about to call out again when she heard a quiet hum like sound come from her oldest and knew that was the only reply she was going to get for now without further prompting.

"I'm going to head up, unless you want me to stay with her, so you can rest?" Eliza offered, walking further into the room. She knew what the answer would be already and wasn't disappointed in her assumption when she saw Alex shake her head in response.

Alex was very protective of Kara.

The nightmare from before would only bring that protectiveness out even more.

Standing back, Eliza watched for a moment feeling a tug in her own heart.

Seeing Kara so frightened earlier had been hard, seeing all the progress they had made being stripped away by one single nightmare was devastating.

Looking at her foster daughter now Eliza found she too, like Alex, did not want to leave the girl but also did not want to overcrowd her should she wake in fear again. She knew that Alex was more than capable of caring for and comforting Kara should another nightmare happen, but she also knew that was a lot to put onto the shoulders of a seventeen-year-old.

Alex took on too much, she always had - even more so after Jeremiah had passed.

Sometimes Eliza's attempts to bring this to Alex's attention looked less like she was being a caring mother and more like she was a mother who did not believe in her child.

It devastated Eliza when she could see that Alex felt that sometimes from the looks she would receive after certain comments that did not come out in the way that Eliza meant them too. Much like seeing Kara so frightened before, it broke her heart to know that Alex felt that she sometimes did not truly believe in her the way a mother should do.

Slowly, ever since Jeremiah had passed, a rift had been forming between Eliza and Alex.

Eliza knew this, she felt it, but so far there had been little she could do to try and repair it.

Instead of being there to help Alex find her own way through those darkest days after Jeremiah had passed she had thrown herself into her work and, learning from her mother, Alex had done the same with school. For the longest of times they barely spoke, barely spent any time together until the day that Kara had been admitted to hospital under Eliza's care. Taking in Kara had helped. They had needed to pull together for Kara, but there was still a long way to go. Eliza hadn't been there for Kara as much as what she would like to be in fear of worsening the rift between herself and Alex.

Eliza knew she had a lot of ground to cover to make up for with her girls, especially Alex.

Taking a deep breath, she decided that maybe now was the right time to start.

Yes, Alex had things covered for if Kara did wake afraid again but that didn't mean she wouldn't be there to help as well for if either one of her daughters were to need her in any way at all.

Making her way over to the second couch that was positioned under the living rooms main window Eliza could feel Alex's eyes watching her, no doubt confused with why she was now staying instead of going to bed like she had just said she was going to do.

Taking a seat, Eliza reached over to the coffee table and picked up the TV remote before answering the question Alex had yet to ask, "I thought I might stay down with you and watch some TV for a bit instead, if that's okay?"

Turning her head to face her mother, Alex smiled tiredly, "Yeah. That's okay."

"Any preference?" Eliza asked, her attention moving back to the TV she had now switched on, watching from the corner of her eyes as Alex considered her closely for a second.

Shrugging her shoulders Alex turned back to look at Kara for a moment, tugging the blanket covering her little sisters back up slightly higher to keep her warm, "You pick," Alex offered. "Just nothing too loud," she added as an afterthought, "she's a light sleeper."

Nodding Eliza selected the first thing that looked mildly interesting and made sure to turn the volume down as quickly as possible before looking over to see that Alex had resumed rubbing up and down Kara's one arm that was closest to the edge of the couch again. The only difference to before now being that Alex was still turned towards where Eliza was sitting, facing her.

Eliza kept eye contact but didn't yet speak. She could see that Alex was deep in thought and looked as though she had something she wanted to say.

"You know, you don't have to stay up with us," Alex said quietly, keeping eye contact.

Eliza nodded in response, smiling at her daughter's concern, "I want to," she assured, "Kara's okay for now, and we're both here if she needs us, why don't you come sit with me for a while?"

She watched with bated breath as Alex eyed her for a moment carefully, before nodding and carefully lifting herself from her position on the floor, dropping a reassuring kiss to Kara's forehead before making her way over to the couch Eliza was sat on and taking a seat.

As both mother and daughter turned to watch the TV in silence Eliza found a small smile making its way upon her face. While tonight had been brought to an abrupt end in a heart-breaking way, she was starting to see there may be some hope after all and that maybe together they would find a way through the darker days together, as a family.

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 **AN: Please don't forget to let me know what you thought of this chapter :)**


	9. Luck Running Out

**Hi, sorry for taking so long again. Thank you to everyone who left comments so far, I will reply to all of you in time don't worry so any questions you have feel free to ask :) but seriously thank you for your comments, reading them has really been helping with feel a little bit more confident I guess with my writing and I'm glad to see you are enjoying the story so far and hope you continue to do so.**

 **Please note this chapter has not been edited or um beta'd, I'm sorry for any mistakes I may have missed, I have tried to find them all but I will double check again in a few days and take out any more I find if there are any.**

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 **Trigger Warnings: References of bullying, racism, homophobia, abuse and homelessness.**

 **Chapter Nine-** Luck Running Out.

Maggie sighed as she heard the warning bell ring out from inside the school building.

Pushing herself up into a standing position rather than leaning against her truck, she pulled the straps on backpack up higher to secure her bag before making her way inside the school towards her first lesson of the day, alone.

It seemed that today Alex would not be joining her for classes, and though she found this disappointing, she was not surprised by this after what had happened last night at the Danvers household. The way Kara had shot up screaming last night made Maggie think at first the younger girl was in pain, it took her some time to realise that in fact the girl had just woken from a nightmare and was terrified and shaking.

It was no wonder Alex wasn't in, a nightmare like that must be hard to come back from and Maggie was sure that Alex would have her hands full trying to help her younger sister deal with whatever had caused it. While Maggie did understand why, she couldn't help but also find herself worrying. It was their final and most important year of high school and so far, Alex had already missed two days of school, and it was only week one.

This didn't bode well for when exams were to begin.

It also didn't bode well for Maggie in a more selfish way. She had been looking forward to spending more time with Alex today and getting to know her better. As selfish as she may sound by thinking this, she couldn't help but think that the less time Alex was in school, the less time they had to spend together.

The fact she was thinking that worried her. The fact she had known Alex for less than a week made that thought all the more worrying.

It was eerily similar to what had happened back in her hometown. Maggie had found herself becoming too attached too quickly to a friend, a close friend. That had ended it disaster, and it seemed no matter how hard she tried to stop it from happened again here it was already happening, and nothing she could do would stop it.

Game night had been the perfect example of that fact.

The time Alex and Maggie spent together, both before and during proved it to her even more so.

Maggie was falling, hard and fast, with no safety net below to catch her.

Dinner had been a great way to get to know Alex more, and Kara too. From what Maggie could see Kara was one of the most important people in Alex's life and if she wanted to get to know Alex better she was going to have to accept that. Not that she wouldn't want to anyway. From the small amount of time she had spent with Kara so far she liked the younger girl, and though Kara was shy and nervous around her she hoped that Kara liked her too.

Game night in a whole had been interesting.

Maggie had enjoyed herself and had fun, but, she would be lying if she didn't admit that she had felt a little out of place. She knew she couldn't keep coming along to the nights that Alex had planned with her friends and her sister already. Not without trying to at least open up to them a little bit more so they all knew each better. Her draw and enticement as the new girl would only last so long, and then when that was over, and they began to realise she wasn't really all that interesting, they wouldn't want to wait around for her to decide to open up to them.

That meant trusting them, and trusting people was something that Maggie found hard, especially after everything that had happened in her hometown.

At her old school everybody already knew everybody else. Much like here- but back home for Maggie it was much worse.

Being different was not tolerated. At all.

Being Latino was one thing, but being a gay Latino was another thing entirely.

As soon as it came out it spread like wildfire- and that was when Maggie had learnt not to trust.

Not her family, not her friends, the teachers- anyone.

They all shunned her like she was a disease that needed to be isolated and in their minds she probably was, when in reality there was nothing wrong with her at all.

She had done nothing wrong other than admit to herself who she really was.

She had done nothing wrong other than to be who she had wanted to be all along, she hadn't hurt anyone or imposed her own views upon them. She had just been Maggie, but clearly being herself was not good enough. Not when it didn't adhere to what her townsfolk viewed the norm of society to be.

Maggie knew not everywhere was like that, not everybody would treat her that way, but it still scared her that it had happened in the first place and terrified her it would happen again.

"Hey," Lucy Lane greeted, her voice pulling Maggie from the darker thoughts and memories her mind had unknowingly forced itself into.

Maggie found this happening more and more since her parents had kicked her to the kerb for coming out. She found it harder to push back the darker thoughts she had about herself.

Looking to her one side, Maggie could see Lucy pushing herself off the wall she had been leaning against and slowly walking the short distance to meet her, falling in step with her as they made their way inside the school. "No Alex today?" Lucy asked.

Maggie frowned at the question.

She had not even been here a week and now Alex's self-proclaimed best friend was asking her where her said best friend was.

That wasn't good.

Was she really that transparent in her feelings? She'd have to up her game.

"I don't know?" Maggie replied, though the statement came out sounding more like a question. "Do I look like her keeper?" Maggie asked further, "Seeing as you're Alex's best friend shouldn't you be the one who knows where she is?"

Lucy didn't respond at first, instead opting for a silent eyebrow raise and sending a questioning look in Maggie's direction as she came to a stop at her locker.

Slowly Lucy began to turn the dial entering the code to open the metal door, "I was only asking," Lucy said while shifting the books around in her locker, "because you were meant to be giving her a lift. When I saw you alone I was concerned, next time I wont bother though if all its going to earn me is getting my head bitten off."

Maggie winched leaning back against the closed lockers next to where Lucy was shuffling books in and out of her locker from her bag. She knew she deserved that, Lucy was only being friendly and her response was uncalled for, but when she was worried Maggie was snappy, and right now she was very worried.

"I'm sorry," Maggie apologised with a sigh, "for biting your head off," she elaborated when Lucy stayed quiet.

Lucy nodded accepting the apology easily, turning her head sideways to take in Maggie's appearance. Maggie was slumped against the lockers, a deep look of concentration and concern on her face as she stared out in front of her. "She'll be fine you know," Lucy assured, seemingly knowingly.

"Huh?" Maggie grunted the half question, turning her own head in Lucy's direction, the statement having caught her off guard and pulling her out of her thoughts, again.

It seemed Lucy was good at that.

Catching her off guard and pulling her away from those darker thoughts.

It was like she almost knew in a way. Maggie wasn't naive enough to think she was the only one who had thoughts about herself like that, she knew others did too and she wondered if maybe underneath the smiles and big talkative personality Lucy too had her own demons that she was battling from within.

Lucy smirked, a knowing look on her face. "Alex," she responded softly. "Alex will be fine. Kara too, eventually," she continued.

"Okay?" Maggie responded, questioning where the statement came from.

She hadn't voiced her concerns, so how could Lucy know that was what was on her mind?

Was she really that transparent?

"From how quickly you decided to take a chomp outta me after I mentioned her before I take it that is why you are so on edge. You're worried," Lucy theorised, "about them both," she continued looking at Maggie closely, "more so about Alex though."

Maggie sighed, pushing back harder against the lockers she was leaning on, "It's our final year, we're only a week in and she's already missed two days."

"So?" Lucy asked, prompting and pushing for more as she closed the door to her locker with a bang.

"So, I assumed that maybe she might want to actually graduate this year, but if this keeps happening that's going to be a struggle." Maggie supplied, her eyes widening to emphasis her point.

Lucy smiled in response. "You're sweet," she cooed, almost patronisingly, at Maggie's look of annoyance her smile turned into a smirk. "I don't mean it in a bad way, its just sweet you care is all, especially when you barely know us- when you barely know Alex."

 _Damn it. She knows, look at the way she's looking at me of course she knows!_

Maggie had been trying hard to push the quickly growing attraction she felt towards Alex down. The more time they spent together, even though it was fleeting and had only been a week so far, was making it harder to do so. Like before. Maggie only hoped that this time people would be more understanding and she wouldn't end up uprooting herself and her Aunt once again.

She was going to have to place her trust in these new friends and the new people she was surrounding herself with even though she barely knew them at all.

"You don't need to worry about Alex." Lucy assured, turning to walk down the hallway towards her first class as she continued to speak. Pulling Maggie from her thoughts for the third time. "I can promise you even though she isn't at school right now Alex will still have a textbook in her hand as we speak. That girl is a big fat nerd. Proud of it too. You have nothing to worry about, and even if she does happen to fall behind I'm sure you will be there to help her back in the race Princess Charming."

 _Damn it._

* * *

Lena yawned, stretching her arms high above her head as she woke to sunlight shinning in brightly from the small rooms window, which was barely shielded by the blinds that were falling apart.

A chuckle to her left drew her attention, causing her to snap her head around quickly in that direction. Lena's eye's widened as she noticed she was not alone in the small room, but soon she found her fast beating heart calming as she realised she knew the person who was sat in the swivel chair looking at her fondly.

"Morning Marie," Lena greeted softly, coughing to clear her throat of morning fogginess.

Mornings never did go well for Lena without coffee.

At nearly sixteen that shouldn't be her go to drink for the mornings, but it was, and had been for some years. Coffee was the only thing that would help her stay awake after sleepless nights. After awhile she became dependant on coffee to see her through the mornings, and now even with a full night of sleep she found herself still needing the dark hot liquid to allow her to speak without her voice sounding like it was coming out through gravel.

However, she had no coffee, the woman in front of her Marie did though.

Lena doubted Marie would give her any coffee, she knew the older lady wouldn't think it was right for a girl so young to be drinking an adults drink.

That was one of the biggest differences Lena had noticed between her 'Mother' and many of people. Her 'Mother' wanted her to grow up and be more mature, whereas others would tell her its okay to act the age she is, she was a child and children at this age are still learning. She didn't need to act mature and know everything about the world around her. Not yet.

Marie, the lady sat before her, tucked a piece of dark red, dyed hair behind her one ear before looking back down at the reports on her desk while Lena slowly unzipped her sleeping bag and crawled out of it, sitting on the floor in the old worn clothes she now used as pyjamas.

Glancing back up again Marie watched quietly for a moment as Lena rolled the sleep bag up and began to pack it away before addressing the teen, "Did you sleep well?" Marie asked.

Looking up from packing away the sleeping bag Lena offered a small smile to the middle-aged woman sat before her, "I did, thank you for letting me stay here again," she replied gratefully.

Lena had been lucky these last few weeks in Midvale when it came to finding a safe place to sleep, especially with the colder weather coming in.

She had managed to stay here almost every night and when they didn't have a proper bed for her to sleep in Marie, who worked the nights, would let Lena stay in her office.

Lena wasn't naive though, she knew this was only a temporary solution and that she couldn't stay here forever.

Where she was currently staying was the office of a woman's shelter.

A safe place for women who could not return home due to how their partners treated them. A place for safety and salvage from those that should love them where that 'love' had gone wrong.

Lena wasn't like them though, she was a woman yes, but a battered and abused woman no. She was homeless yes, but through her own choice and not through the need of safety. Or at least that is what the paperwork said when she had first tried to apply to stay in a place like this before coming to Midvale.

In their eyes Lena had a safe place to return to, she wasn't in need of bed in a refuge centre like this. Little did that first centre know the horrors she had come from when they had sent her away. Sure, Lillian Luthor did not physically harm Lena. Yes, she wasn't in physical danger, but she was still in danger and just like the women in that shelter she could not return home.

If she did, she was in a danger of a completely different kind.

She was in danger of losing everything completely, losing herself, her heritage, and her mind.

The homeless shelters were too overpacked with not enough space, and honestly were more dangerous than sleeping on the streets could be. Lena had stayed one night, and that was enough to put her off ever going back there, unfortunately it was also enough for her to lose most of the money she had managed to take with her.

It was either lose the money or be stabbed, and Lena would always value her own life over money any day. That's where she was different to the rest of her family. They would have most probably taken a knife to the gut than hand over a penny, not that losing the money would have made a difference to any of them anyway.

To Lena it did.

It was all she had.

All she was left with was enough for a bus ticket. Just one way, no return. Quite the choice to make when you had no one to turn to. Nowhere to go. If she chose wrong she could have ended up in a worse situation than she already was. In that matter Lena didn't know if she should go to a larger city, one with more possibilities of somewhere to stay, of jobs, but also of being noticed, found and undoubtedly sent back to Lillian. Or, if she should go to a smaller town, with less opportunities but with also less possibility of being recognised.

At the time she could not decide. It was an impossible choice.

Lena had been stood to the side of the ticket booth looking over all the destinations with not a clue of where to go until one name seemed to draw her attention. Luck it seemed was on her side.

The towns name was Midvale.

The name rang a bell, and for the life of her Lena couldn't figure out why but at that moment in time when she was cold and stood stiff with little money left and a creeping feeling that someone was watching her from the crowds of people around her, she decided to take a chance.

One ticket to Midvale was brought, and a long journey was undertaken.

The bus journey took days, it was going through numerous state lines so that was not surprising. Lena had tried to keep to herself for most of the journey, listing to the conversations around her, and sleeping curled up upon herself protecting her belongings when she found the need arise.

Slowly as the journey continued the bus had emptied until she was the only person left on it.

The only person going to Midvale it appeared.

It wasn't at all surprising to her when she had arrived. The town was small and quiet, and when she had arrived in the dark of night she could have almost mistaken it as a ghost town if it hadn't been for the few street lamps that had still been alight.

It was when she was stood in the centre of the town that she realised why the name had called out to her so strongly when she had seen it on the list of destinations to travel to that night.

She recognised it because of one of Lillian's childminders, a kind lady that had been Lena's babysitter for all intents and purposes for years, when she had first moved in with the Luthor's. A kind lady named Marie, who Lillian had fired after some jewellery had gone missing from the mansion.

Marie hadn't taken the jewellery. Lillian had been lying, but she had wanted a reason to fire her so made one up. Lillian hadn't liked the closeness between Marie and Lena, not when she was trying so hard to control and shape Lena into a mini her, a mini Lex. Marie had been standing in the way of any progress so in Lillian's warped and deranged mind the only thing to do to stop that was to remove her. Entirely. Marie had been fired and had been escorted from the mansion without even being able to say goodbye to Lena, and Lena had lost the one person who still showed her a small sliver of kindness in the cruel new life she had been thrown into from the age of four.

She had been eight at the time.

Marie had only been with them for four years, but those four years were long enough to make a lasting impression on a young Lena and she always remembered the kindness that had been shown to her by the woman who was left to care for her when Lillian and Lionel could not be bothered. So much so that somewhere in her subconscious she had remembered Marie telling her of her sister who worked at the woman's shelter in a small sleepy town called Midvale on the coast line. She remembered Marie telling her of her visits to the town and how it was like a completely different little world all on its own.

How anyone who needed somewhere to go, who needed help, would be welcomed there.

Lena had found herself not looking back since.

She had found that everything Maria had told her was true.

Midvale was a charming town and welcoming to all. Though Lena had not spoken to many people yet, the few that she had so far had been more than willingly to try and help her.

Even Marie and her sister Helen, who now ran the woman's shelter.

Lena hadn't gone to Marie at first, not purposely. She hadn't searched for the woman she remembered, she had found her by luck.

She had tried to fend for herself for as long as possible, but one night after the rain had been beating down hard and the wind had been howling along the small coast side town bringing an icy bite to the air that night, Lena had realised she needed help. She had turned up on the door step to the woman's shelter and had found herself quickly let in even though they had no beds. When the manager on duty that night had been called Lena had found herself astounded to see that it was Marie, and after all these years the woman before her looked no different than Lena remembered, and furthermore, she was still just as kind and patient as she had ever been. Lena could tell Marie had been shocked when she learnt that the girl before her was the same girl she had all but raised for four years of her life before being fired for something that had never been her fault to begin with. From that day Marie had done all she could to help Lena after learning the reasons as to why she left. Even her sister Helen had helped in the small ways that she could while trying not to jeopardise her job and the shelter. Slowly Lena's luck had got better. She had a bed most nights, and on the nights she didn't she had a sleeping bag and a roof over her head in a safe place.

However, noticing the look on Marie's face now, Lena was beginning to wonder if her luck was changing. The older woman before her looked worried, almost pensive.

"Lena, come sit with me, I need to talk to you about something," Marie said carefully, motioning to the spare chair in the room, and in that one moment Lena's heart sunk as she realised that after tonight she may not have a place to shelter from the cold storms that had been brewing in Midvale the last few weeks.

Her luck may very have just changed, in fact it may have just run out entirely.

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 **Please let me know what you think.**


	10. Inspiration

**AN: Hi everyone, can I please just sat a massive thank you to everyone who is reading this story and to all who are leaving me comments, reviews and the like, I'm not brilliant with writing so hearing from you on your thoughts really does mean a lot.**

 **I just wanted to say I'm sorry for how updates have been spaced out recently, I've been having a few personal problems that has made it hard to write, I was hoping to post this with the promise of more regular at least monthly updates, and while I will try hard to do that I may not be able to right away. My living situation is going to be changing very soon and I'm not sure how much computer access I'll have.**

 **My story is usually edited by my friend Sinca, but she has been unable to look over the chapter for me before I am posting it, when I can I will update it with the edited version but I'm sorry for any mistake I have missed looking through it myself, they are all mine...**

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 **Trigger Warnings: Past Child Abuse, PTSD, Mentions of Homelessness.**

 **Chapter Ten-** Inspiration.

"Hey, Kara," Lena greeted softly, with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Only moments ago had Lena entered the cove feeling as though this day couldn't get any worse. She'd found her day looking a bit brighter when realising she had managed to stumble across her artist once again but finding Kara here right now did cause her another problem.

One she wasn't ready to talk about, or face yet.

Kara smiled back in response, her smile too not packing a full punch as people would say. Noticing this straight away Lena frowned slightly as she edged her way further into the cove. Lena had a lot going on and she was starting to feel the effects of it all piling up. However, as she looked at Kara, sat on the floor, hunched over a sketch pad with dark circles under her eyes, she could see that clearly she wasn't the only one who was feeling out of sorts today.

Stopping her movements Lena looked closer at the blonde sat on the floor, "Is this a bad time? I can come back another day if you'd prefer?" Lena asked, a hand paused over the strap of her backpack.

Kara blinked up at her in confusion, offering no verbal answer. She couldn't understand why Lena would ask such a thing. This wasn't her cove. Sure, it was the place she liked to come to so that she could unwind and relax after a hard day, but that didn't make the cove hers by default.

It certainly didn't give her any claim on who could come here and who couldn't.

The fact that Lena was asking to be polite and to show that she cared for Kara's emotional well-being was a thought that currently was far beyond Kara's reach.

It was something that she wasn't used to, still even now. The thought of people actually caring about her was something that seemed almost foreign to Kara, a few months of that being the case wasn't going to erase all the damage that years of no one caring for her had caused. Sometimes she found herself wondering if she would ever get back to the girl that she once used to be, or if she would stay this small broken shell of what she was once for the rest of her life. Lately there had been some light at the end of the tunnel making her believe she could do, but after that dream last night she was left in more doubt than she had felt in a long time.

Kara was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't realise Lena was still talking to her until the brunette moved in a little closer, the movement startling her and causing her to jump backwards into the rocks she was leaning against in fright

"-it's just you look very lost in thought…Kara?" Lena continued, "Can you hear me?" Lena asked further, waving her hand in a large circle to try and draw Kara's attention from where she had been staring. "Earth to Kara? Anyone calling?" Lena joked lightly.

Shaking her head Kara snapped back to attention, pushing her thoughts to the back of her mind, and forcing that initial spark of fear back down. A process in itself which was hard for her. Her mind had been a sea of different emotions all day. Honestly it had been that way since that nightmare last night. That one had shaken her much more than the others.

Why you ask?

Because it wasn't just a nightmare.

It was a memory.

A memory of a nightmare she had lived through only months prior. A memory that would not leave her alone no matter how hard she tried to ignore it and wished that it would. A memory she was terrified to share with Alex, with Eliza- with anyone really, for fear of what they would think of her once they knew the truth. The truth of what had happened while she stayed with the Morgan's.

The truth was she had lost herself there- completely.

A small part of Kara's heart had died and left her completely during her stay in that last house. A part of her that she was unsure would ever come back due the things that had happened there.

She daren't tell anyone, but it only made it all the more harder to accept any form of comfort, as in her mind, Kara thought she deserved to suffer- she knew it. Just like they had told her.

Part of her felt deep down that was wrong but she couldn't get the memories of the things she had been told, the things she had witnessed, and the things she had seen out of her mind. Which only made her feel worse because as hard as she tried to believe that everything was okay now and that she was safe, she just couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't going to last.

It felt as though she was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Not being able to shake that feeling made her so angry with herself at times. It made her angry that as hard as Alex and Eliza were trying to make her feel as though she too was a part of their family and that she was safe, she just couldn't stop panicking and becoming afraid of them for no good reason. Kara hated being the cause of the looks of concern, and what she now understood was worry being on the faces of the people she was starting to care about so much. She hated being the cause of their pain, probably almost as much as they hated being the cause of her fear.

She knew that she had worried Alex and Eliza last night, even Maggie had looked concerned as she turned back to the doorway before leaving last night.

It was just that after that nightmare of that memory, she couldn't even bare the thought of being touched at all. She couldn't bare the thought of someone having their arms around her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she did not deserve the comfort of an embrace after what she had been forced to do to survive through that hell.

She knew she was being irrational and that nothing that had happened in the house had been her fault, but that didn't make those thoughts disappear.

Knowing it didn't stop her from thinking it, not when it had been beaten and ingrained into her for weeks while she had been forced to stay in that hell called a home. The feelings she had running through her mind were making her feel as though she deserved to be completely alone and made it hard for her to feel a connection to anyone.

Alex and Eliza had both been walking around on egg shells near her today, trying to keep an eye on her and not upset her anymore than she had been last night. The problem was, all it was doing was making her feel guilty, and as though she was going to get into trouble for it. Again, she knew this wasn't the case, but knowing something and trying to tell her mind that was another thing entirely.

It was exhausting.

The thoughts that ran through her mind on a daily basis made her nervous and frightened of every day interactions that for everyone else were as normal as taking a deep breath in and out.

For Kara they were a battle.

A battle of emotions and trying not to freak out the moment someone raised an eyebrow, or spoke a slight octave higher than normal. Trying to not to freak out at the sight of everyday items such as the spatula from yesterday morning, or the sight of Alex brushing her hair in the mirror. To everyone else those items meant absolutely nothing, but to Kara they could and did bring her a world of pain that she could not escape from for such as long time.

Taking a deep breath, Kara forced herself to lift her head and shyly let her eyes meet Lena's. "S-sory, I, um, I h-h-had a b-b-ad n-night- b-b-ad da-y." Kara explained slowly.

Carefully.

Kara wanted to trust Lena. She was trying hard to, but she still didn't know Lena that well yet. She couldn't trust her completely, not until she got to know her- but then again, she wouldn't be able to get to know her unless she tried just that little bit harder than she usually did. She needed to at least be open to the possibility of friendship, and not just hide behind Alex like she had been doing since moving in with the Danvers'.

If she wanted a friendship with Lena she would have to try.

"Hmmm, yeah. I can relate to that," Lena supplied quietly, offering a small smile which Kara returned. "Do you mind if I sit?" Lena asked, indicating the spot next to Kara with a small nod of her head.

Kara nodded a yes in response, though didn't offer a verbal confirmation, feeling unsure if she would be able to do so. Her stutter was in full force today, that and the fact that the thought of Lena sitting by her made her feel nervous. A different kind of nervous to what she was used to, but still nervous.

Kara watched closely as Lena made her way over and dropped the bag from her shoulders before sitting down, retrieving her notepad and pen.

Flipping the cover open and taking the lid of the pen, Lena began to write slowly, "I'm not going to ask you what happened," Lena supplied with an air of finality. "Something tells me you don't really want to talk about it, but should that change I am a good listener," she continued carefully. "Or, we could just sit together and work through this the way we both seem to find works best." Lena offered, her vocal tone changing slightly to almost pose a question.

At Kara's look of confusion Lena continued further, "You're drawing," she explained simply.

Kara did respond at first, instead her mouth fell slightly into an 'o' shape as she realised what Lena had meant by saying that.

"D-d-drawing helps m-me t-to c-c-c-lear my h-head s-s-sometimes," Kara admitted softly looking down at the still blank sketch pad page sitting on her lap, "b-but I c-cant s-s-eem to d-d-raw a-anything." She continued.

Glancing over at the blank sketch pad Lena offered a sympathetic smile, "I had that problem for a long time with my writing."

"H-h-ow d-d-id you g-get it b-b-ack?" Kara asked, before holding her breath with wide eyes. The question had slipped out so easily she hadn't even really thought about the repercussions of it. "s-s-orry," she apologised quickly afterwards.

Lena only smiled in response, "Don't be," she assured quickly, again picking up on a nervousness from the girl in front of her.

"The truth is that one day I found myself feeling inspired. Something beautiful caught my eye and I found I had to write about it." Lena admitted, looking up from the sketch pad to catch Kara's line of sight.

Swallowing nervously, Kara was the first to look away, lifting her spare hand up to adjust her glasses before shuffling herself a slight bit away from Lena, the direct eye contact having made her feel uncomfortable.

Noticing, Lena moved back trying to give Kara as much space as possible. It hadn't been her intention to make Kara feel uncomfortable. Lena wasn't used to having to try and read people as much as she was finding she was having to do with Kara.

Kara seemed like an enigma rolled in a ball of nerves.

What had happened to her to cause this Lena had no idea, but she found herself wanting to know. Which, in itself, was a completely new feeling for her.

She hadn't cared to be around, or to get to know anybody for a while now.

Kara seemed to be the first exception in a long time.

It was a new but nice feeling to find herself wanting to become friends with someone, a feeling which she could get used to. She felt that a friendship with Kara might actually be something she could enjoy, if Kara was open to them becoming friends herself.

Lena found herself being unsure of what Kara wanted. In the two very brief meetings they had so far Kara seemed very up and down. Opening and trusting one moment, then completely closed off and protective of herself the next moment. Almost as though she was trying to shut herself off from even the possibility of really getting to know someone.

Lena could see that in her because she was the same.

As a young child Lena had looked at the world with big eyes full of wonder and amazement, but at the tender age of four that had soon changed when she had been introduced into the life of the Luthor household. Lena could tell there were possibly more than some similarities between Kara and herself and wondered if Kara too had been through a similar life changing experience.

Maybe that was why she was finding her drawing so hard now?

Maybe just like what had happened to Lena a few months back Kara now found that she couldn't concentrate due to something that had happened at home. Something bothering her deeply if the dark circles under her eyes were anything to go by. The tell-tale signs of sleepless nights due to an over working and exhausted mind.

Lena wanted to help her, again a feeling that she wasn't used to, but she knew it was early days in any possible friendship forming. It wasn't her place to push- yet, but, what she could do is offer advice on the one thing she knew for certain they had in common.

Advice on how to get her inspiration back.

"Look out to the ocean," Lena instructed gently, at the confused expression on Kara's face she continued in a gentle tone, "trust me."

Trust me.

Two simple words to most. Two words that were uttered almost everyday but to others probably did not hold the same meaning that they did to Kara. Two words that should not bring with them the fear and dread that Kara was beginning to feel build up in her chest.

Could she trust Lena? Trust her enough to follow the instruction? Trust Lena enough to not become angry with her if she did not follow the instruction? Could she trust anyone, really trust them? How can one statement bring so many questions and doubts?

She trusted Alex and so far that had worked out well, and to a degree she had trusted Eliza too and found that no pain had come to her from the back of that choice- but to trust someone new and unknown, that was something else entirely.

There was only one way to know for sure, and that was to try.

For some reason Kara found herself drawn to Lena.

Lena who was still practically a stranger to her, but also in the weirdest of ways not.

Meeting Lena, learning her name and seeing her for the first time had felt more like putting a name and face to a person Kara already knew in part due to the stories she had been reading for so long. Lena didn't seem as threatening and as frightening as others she had met before, and as she began to slowly follow the directions given to her by the girl sat beside her she found her eyes drawn to Alex in the ocean surfing and began to think that maybe it was okay to try and trust Lena.

Alex was right there anyway.

Kara had no doubt that if anything were to happen Alex would somehow know like she always did and come to her rescue. It was one of the things that she had first began to trust Alex of.

Being there for her.

Always.

She had so far. Alex hadn't let her down and Kara would bet what little she had left that she never would either. They had a bond now that was sacred and special. Something that Kara had always wished for when growing up after seeing the way her mother and her aunt had interacted. The bond of a sister. A friendship that could rival no others and a love so unconditional you didn't even realise it was surrounding you until you felt it's comforting embrace not only across your back but in your heart as well.

It was something she had wished for but never had, until now.

Alex had given her that so freely, asking for nothing in return. That was a fact that still confused Kara.

Where she had been staying, all the people she had lived with since her parents had died, never gave her anything without wanting something back in return.

Even when the Smith's beat her mercilessly for anything and nothing at the same time, they still wanted something from her. They wanted her thanks, they expected her to thank them for the beating she had received. They expected her to thank them and mean it, or she would only be hit harder for being rude as they called it.

"Tell me what you see?" Lena's voice asked, breaking through the thoughts running through Kara's mind.

Forcing her to remember where she was and what she was meant to be doing.

Taking a deep breath, Kara tried to focus her mind on the task at hand, "I s-ssee the w-w-ater," she answered simply, cringing at the simplicity of her answer and hoping it did not make Lena angry. To her relief Lena only nodded in response, a small humming sound coming from her lips as she too looked out to the ocean. "B-b-irds," Kara continued cautiously, earning another small hum like sound from Lena, "t-t-he w-water, h-h-as dif-fernt t-tones to i-t, um, d-d-different c-c-olors?" Kara added, her voice sounding almost questioning.

Lena smiled. "It does," she agreed, "both our favourite colours are out there today," Lena continued after making the observation.

Kara hummed in acknowledgement herself at that, before quickly tensing.

Humming to agree was not a proper answer. Humming to agree like that had gotten her in trouble before, but sometimes it was easier than speaking itself. When she hummed like that she didn't stutter. The words didn't get stuck in the back of her throat, the length of time it took her to reply didn't irritate anyone.

"-I drew inspiration from what I found around me at the time, maybe you can too?" Lena questioned, her voice pulling Kara yet again from her inner thoughts.

Kara nodded in response, turning her head to offer the brunette a nervous yet thankful smile.

She hadn't been able to focus on her drawing due to her mind being too preoccupied with everything running through it at a million miles an hour.

All the self-doubt and the memories of where she had been before coming to live with the Danvers' had been making it hard for Kara to focus, while also making it a lot easier for her to panic. Lena had managed to chase those thoughts away for her, not only had she done that, but she had also managed to show Kara how to do that herself if she should need to in the future.

Lena hadn't even really done much, just asked her one simple question- What did she see?

Kara had answered simply- but even that simple answer held so much more depth than she realised at first.

Water- A world that held darkness but also light and trepidation all around. It could surround you and suffocate you like a thick blanket of fog, but it could also bring a sense of calmness to those that needed it. Water was essential to living; we needed it to drink, to clean, to make different fuels and materials from, but it could also be a deadly weapon to some. It was like a double-edged sword, to some nice and pleasant while to others a nightmare.

As Kara stared out to the ocean before her, she knew that Lena was right.

She could find inspiration from what was around her.

It didn't matter if her mind was preoccupied with the darkest of thoughts, if she looked hard enough, she would always be able to find some light in the darkness to draw inspiration from, and from that small amount of light she could awaken the hope within herself once again.

The hope that maybe, one day, everything really would be okay again.

Picking up her pencil Kara knew that the sketch she was about to draw would not be as colourful and cheerful as her usual ones, but it would still have purpose and come from a place within her like all her others had. It would maybe even help her get rid of some of the darkness that had been surrounding and hardening her heart since that nightmare last night. It might help the numbness she had been feeling start to fade even if only slightly.

Looking back to Lena, Kara smiled a vibrant smile, a full smile. "Thank you," she said simply.

"You're most welcome," Lena replied leaning back against the rock formation behind her, "though my intentions were not all that innocent in helping you find inspiration Kara," she admitted.

"O-oh?" Kara inquired quietly, the feeling of a frown slipping onto her face once again.

Lena turned her head back in Kara's direction and smiled with a small amount of playfulness in her eyes, "I would find my own inspiration drying up if yours did. I can't very well write without my artist inspiring me, can I?"

Kara paused for a moment, thinking the answer over, her head tilting to the side lightly as she did, almost like a puppy would when watching its owner near food.

"I-Im y-y-your i-i-nspiration?" Kara asked, quietly, disbelievingly.

Lena shrugged one shoulder in a non-committal answer before responding, "Your sketches are beautiful Kara, I'd have to be blind to not find inspiration from them."

Eye's widening at the bluntness of the response Kara looked away, fiddling with the frames of her glasses once again, "Um t-t-hanks," she responded shyly.

She wasn't used to compliments.

Not really.

Alex and Eliza complimented her lots, for small things and for big things trying to build her self confidence again. She knew that was why they did it, she was a lot smarter than she looked or let on at times, but she didn't always believe them when they did it. It wasn't that she thought them to be untruthful or anything of the sort, it was that she'd had it drilled into her for the last few years that she wasn't worth anything at all. That she wasn't good at anything, that she was thick and that she didn't deserve the nicer things in life. That made it hard for her to believe what they were saying.

"I can't have you losing your inspiration Kara, where would I be without it?" Lena said jokingly, turning her attention back to her notepad in her lap.

"Pr-robably n-not ss-iting in t-this d-d-amp c-cove on the f-f-loor," Kara quipped back in response quickly, causing Lena's head to snap back up and look at her in surprise and for Kara's eyes to widen.

Kara didn't do jokes, at least not with people that she didn't trust fully yet.

Not with anyone else who wasn't Alex, and she only joked like that with Alex fleetingly. Sometimes Kara still got worried that she was going to get into trouble for some of her teasing remarks when she was only joining in with the friendly banter that Alex had instigated.

Before she could start to panic though Kara heard a deep laugh from beside her causing her to turn her head back towards Lena's direction trying to gauge her reaction.

Lena couldn't help the laugh that bubbled from deep within her chest. A laugh that continued loudly and even had Kara smiling ever so slightly alongside her.

When Lena managed to calm and turned to look back towards the blonde, Kara found she was looking into deep emerald eyes once again that held much more warmth than most of the people she had dared to share eye contact with in the past few years.

She found that she wasn't scared to look Lena in the eyes like she was with so many others.

It seemed almost natural to do so, comforting in a way.

"I suppose not," Lena responded eventually to the earlier quip, "but, I happen to rather like this little damp cove," she continued with another shrug, "and, the company is not too bad either."

Blushing a deep red Kara looked back down to her sketch pad, averting her eyes as Lena coughed once and too looked down at her own notepad.

As Kara began to focus her mind on drawing, a small smile appeared on her face when she felt for the time since last night her mind begin to quieten.

She had come here for solitude and some alone time, but maybe this was exactly what she needed. Maybe she just needed to sit in silence with someone else like minded and as passionate as herself. Maybe she didn't need to talk through all her problems and didn't need to be held and to cry until all the tears had left her, but instead just needed someone to sit with her in the damp through the dark patches of her mind and help her find her inspiration once again.

Kara startled slightly when she felt something warm and light brush against her hand.

Looking down to the ground where her one hand rested that she wasn't being used to hold her pencil, Kara realised the warm thing that had brushed against her own hand was another hand.

Lena's hand.

Lena's hand was touching her own just barely, just a fraction, but enough for Kara to feel it, and for the first since last night, to not be afraid of touch from another- even if it was just a ghost of a touch.

* * *

 **AN: Please let me know what you thought :)**


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